After nearly two years setting up and editing Left Foot Forward, I have decided to pass on the leadership of the blog to what Ed Miliband might call a “new generation”.
Shamik Das, our excellent assistant editor becomes Acting Editor, and Daniel Elton, a trained fundraiser who has been working with Left Foot Forward on the separate Latimer Project, will take over as Managing Director with responsibility for business development. Our regular writers Nicola Smith and Marcus Roberts will become contributing editors on social policy and foreign policy respectively. They join a new editorial board which will be expanded in the coming weeks.
In January, I start as Associate Director for Strategic Development at the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr). I’ll be working with new Director Nick Pearce and ippr’s terrific team of researchers (many of whom will be familiar as LFF contributors) to help rebuild the policy platform for British progressives as well as developing the Institute’s international relationships, particularly in the US where I used to work. I’ll continue to write – primarily on economic policy – for Left Foot Forward.
Setting up and editing Left Foot Forward over the past 18 months has been an enormously rewarding challenge and I’m thrilled that we now have a regular monthly audience of over 50,000 and have been voted the No.1 left-wing blog. I’ve no doubt that the new team will take the blog from strength to strength.
To reach hundreds of thousands of new readers and to make the biggest impact we can in the next general election, we need to grow our donor base substantially.
That's why in 2024, we are seeking to generate 150 additional regular donors to support Left Foot Forward's work.
We still need another 124 people to donate to hit the target. You can help. Donate today.
44 Responses to “Changes at Left Foot Forward”
Mark Ferguson
Exciting times for the Labour/Left blogosphere, and best of luck to @wdjstraw with new endeavours http://bit.ly/i8f1gV
David Taylor
RT @Markfergusonuk: Exciting times for the Labour/Left blogosphere, and best of luck to @wdjstraw with new endeavours http://bit.ly/i8f1gV
Wes Streeting
RT @Markfergusonuk: Exciting times for the Labour/Left blogosphere, and best of luck to @wdjstraw with new endeavours http://bit.ly/i8f1gV
janie_s
Isn’t LFF funded by the Unions? I imagine Jack put in a good word.
anyleftiwonder
All the best Will – hope LFF will remain the same – my daily dose keeps me going !