The Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) is pleased to announce that David Evans, Baron Evans of Sealand, former General Secretary of the UK Labour Party, has joined PPI as a senior advisor. In his new role, Evans brings decades of political expertise to PPI’s Project on Center-Left Renewal, which fosters PPI’s ongoing dialogue with center-left parties across Europe and the world.
Evans served as General Secretary of the Labour Party from 2020 to 2024. During this time, he helped modernize the party’s structures and shape its strategic direction under Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s leadership. In addition to spearheading Labour’s 2024 general election campaign, his career includes playing a key role in Labour’s 1997 and 2001 election victories; pioneering work to promote cohesion, community engagement, and behavior change; and informing public policy and political strategy. During his tenure as general secretary, Labour secured 411 seats in the UK Parliament, their largest majority government in a quarter-century.
PPI’s Project on Center-Left Renewal, launched in 2023 and based in the United Kingdom, continues a long-running conversation with center-left parties in Europe and around the world. Its purpose is to exchange ideas, strategies, and tactics for making center-left parties more competitive and improving their governing performance. Led by Claire Ainsley, former Executive Director for Policy for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the project has contributed immensely to a renewed transatlantic dialogue between Labour and Democrats.
As part of its commitment to revitalizing center-left politics, PPI recently released an in-depth analysis of the 2024 United States presidential election, co-authored by PPI President Will Marshall, Ainsley, and Deborah Mattinson. The report examines the key factors behind the Democratic Party’s electoral loss and offers a roadmap for reconnecting with working-class voters. Drawing lessons from the successes of the Labour Party and other center-left successes in Europe, the report outlines strategies for building durable governing majorities and addressing the economic and cultural concerns of working families.
“I am honored to join the Progressive Policy Institute and contribute to the Project on Center-Left Renewal,” said Evans. “In my tenure with the Labour Party, we demonstrated that with the right strategies and organizational focus, progressive parties can regain the trust of the electorate. I look forward to collaborating with colleagues at PPI to share insights and develop policies that resonate with working people across the globe.”
“David Evans is a key architect of the UK Labour Party’s revival and sweeping victory in last year’s elections,” said Marshall. “As Labour’s General Secretary, Evans worked closely with now Prime Minister Keir Starmer to help his party change course after its calamitous 2019 defeat and reconnect with its working-class base. That is fundamentally the same challenge Democrats face now. We’re proud that David has agreed to join forces with PPI as we work on revitalizing center-left politics here and abroad.”
“Lord Evans was central to reforming the UK Labour Party and making it electable again,” said PPI Chief Executive Officer Lindsay Mark Lewis. “His strong leadership took a center-left Party that had lost the trust of voters across the UK and took the party into a new era of election victory. His experience and lessons learned is something center-left leaders across the globe can learn from.”
Founded in 1989, PPI is a catalyst for policy innovation and political reform based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to create radically pragmatic ideas for moving America beyond ideological and partisan deadlock. Find an expert and learn more about PPI by visiting progressivepolicy.org. Follow us @PPI.
###
Media Contact: Ian O’Keefe – iokeefe@ppionline.org
