James Purnell | |
|---|---|
 Purnell in 2021 | |
| Secretary of State for Work and Pensions | |
| In office 24 January 2008 – 4 June 2009 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Peter Hain |
| Succeeded by | Yvette Cooper |
| Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport | |
| In office 28 June 2007 – 24 January 2008 | |
| Prime Minister | Gordon Brown |
| Preceded by | Tessa Jowell |
| Succeeded by | Andy Burnham |
| Minister of State for Pensions | |
| In office 5 May 2006 – 28 June 2007 | |
| Prime Minister | Tony Blair |
| Preceded by | Stephen Timms |
| Succeeded by | Mike O'Brien |
| Member of Parliament for Stalybridge and Hyde | |
| In office 7 June 2001 – 12 April 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Pendry |
| Succeeded by | Jonathan Reynolds |
| Islington Borough Councillor for Canonbury East Ward | |
| In office 5 May 1994 – 12 October 1995 | |
| Succeeded by | Terence Herbert |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 March 1970 London, United Kingdom |
| Political party | None |
| Other political affiliations | Labour (until 2013) |
| Alma mater | Balliol College, Oxford |
James Mark Dakin Purnell (born 2 March 1970) is a British former broadcasting executive and Labour Party politician who served as a Cabinet minister in the Brown Government from 2007 to 2009. In October 2016, he became the BBC's Director of Radio, in addition to his other role as the BBC's Director of Strategy and Digital, a job he had held since March 2013.[1][2] In 2020, he left the BBC to become vice-chancellor of University of the Arts London.[3]
Purnell was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Stalybridge and Hyde from the general election of 2001 until the that of 2010. He served as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport from 2007 to 2008 and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions from 2008 to 2009. He resigned from the Government on 4 June 2009, criticising the leadership of Gordon Brown.
He became the director of the Open Left project for Demos in 2009. Purnell chaired the Institute for Public Policy Research[4] until 2010, and was a senior advisor in the Public Sector practice of the Boston Consulting Group.[5] He is also a film producer, and a former Senior Producer at Rare Day,[6] who produced the film One Mile Away.
- ^ Conlan, Tara (14 February 2013). "James Purnell to rejoin BBC". The Guardian.
- ^ Sweney, Mark (30 September 2016). "BBC confirms James Purnell as radio chief". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 September 2016.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
telegraph-20201023was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "James Purnell takes on ippr chair role". LabourList. 20 July 2010.
- ^ "BCG – Global Management Consulting". Boston Consulting Group.
- ^ "BBC – James Purnell, Director, Strategy & Digital – Inside the BBC". Retrieved 13 September 2015.