Brown aide named most powerful gay person in Britain

A protester holds a rainbow flag outside the Houses of Parliament in central London on June 3, 2013, as protesters gather in support of same-sex marriage

PinkNews.co.uk, Europe’s largest gay news publication, has published its list of the fifty most powerful openly LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) people in British politics.

Gordon Brown’s Director of Political Strategy, Spencer Livermore tops a list that contains 17 Labour party members, 11 Conservatives, seven Liberal Democrats, three greens and one Plaid Cymru. The list contains five senior civil servants and special advisers.

The list goes beyond elected representatives to include Whitehall journalists.

Spencer Livermore, profiled on PinkNews.co.uk today, speaks to Gordon Brown throughout the day.

Nick Brown, the Deputy Chief Whip is listed as the second most powerful with Peter Mandelson at number three. Treasury minister Angela Eagle is ranked as the most powerful lesbian at number four.

Howell James, Permanent Secretary of Government Communications, is listed at 14.

Tony Grew, editor of PinkNews.co.uk said: “while other publications have focused on gays in the entertainment industry, these are the fifty LGBT people who have real influence in our political life.”

The list that was complied by the publication’s editorial team in conjunction with a number of senior journalists

Full Profiles are available by clicking here

1 Spencer Livermore, 32, Director of Political Strategy, 10 Downing Street

2 Nick Brown, 57, Deputy Chief Whip, MP for Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend

3 Peter Mandelson, 54, EU Trade Commissioner

4 Angela Eagle, 46, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, MP for Wallasey

5 Ben Bradshaw, 47, Minister of State for Health Services, Labour MP for Exeter

6 Andrew Pierce, 46, Assistant Editor, Daily Telegraph

7 Ben Summerskill, 46, Chief Executive of Stonewall

8 Nick Herbert, 44, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, MP for Arundel and South Downs

9 Michael Cashman, 56, Labour MEP for the West Midlands

10 Stephen Williams, 41, Liberal Democrats spokesman for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, MP for Bristol West

11 Matthew Parris, 58, journalist and broadcaster

12 Paul Jenkins, Treasury Solicitor

13 Gregory Barker, 43, Shadow Environment Secretary MP for Battle and Bexhill

14 Howell James CBE, Permanent Secretary, Government Communications

15 Alan Duncan, 50, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform MP for Rutland and Melton

16 Adam Price, 39, Plaid Cymru MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr

17 Margot James, Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Stourbridge

18 Simon Hughes, 56, President of the Liberal Democrats MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey

19 Waheed Alli, Baron Alli, 43, Labour Peer

20 Julian Glover, journalist and author

21 Brian Paddick, 49, Liberal Democrat candidate for Mayor of London

22 Nick Boles, 42, Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Grantham and Stamford

23 Peter Tatchell, 55, Green party parliamentary prospective candidate for Oxford East, Chief campaigner, OutRage!

24 Patrick Harvie, 34, Green MSP for Glasgow Region

25 Dan Ritterband, 32, director of Boris Johnson’s campaign for Mayor of London

26 Chris Bryant, 45, Labour MP for Rhondda

27 Ray Collins, assistant general secretary, Unite

28 Iain Dale, 45, blogger

29 Michael Portillo, 54, political commentator

30 Lord Chris Smith, 56, Labour Peer

31 Iain Smith, 47, Liberal Democrats MSP for North East Fife

32 Margaret Smith, 46, Liberal Democrats MSP for Edinburgh West

33 Alan Wardle, public affairs director, Local Government Association

34 David Borrow, 55, Labour MP for South Ribble

35 Clive Betts, 57, Labour MP for Sheffield Attercliffe

36 Steven Purcell, 34, Labour leader of Glasgow City Council

37 Steve Reed, Labour leader of Lambeth Council

38 Brian Coleman, 56, Conservative member of the London Assembly

39 Darren Johnson, 43, Green member of the London Assembly

40 Sir Simon Milton, 45, Conservative leader of Westminster City Council

41 Richard Barnes, Conservative member of the London Assembly

42 Rodney Berman, 38, Liberal Democrats Leader of Cardiff Council

43 Jenny Bailey, 45, Liberal Democrats mayor of Cambridge

44 Philip Hensher, 42, journalist

45 Angela Mason CBE, 63, adviser

46 Johann Hari, 28, journalist

47 Seb Dance, 26, special adviser to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

48 Mark Meredith, 42, Labour Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent

49 Mike Wolfe, 56, former independent Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent

50 Pav Akhtar, Labour party councillor, Lambeth

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