Philip Collins

Philip Collins, born on May 16, 1967, received his education at Bury Grammar School, the University of Birmingham, Birkbeck, University of London, and St John’s College, Cambridge. His early career included time as an equity strategist in investment banking, a political adviser to Frank Field, and work for the Institute of Education at the University of London, the BBC, and London Weekend Television. These diverse experiences provided a foundational understanding of finance, education, and media, setting the stage for his later roles in communication and politics.

From 2004 to 2007, Collins served as the chief speechwriter to Prime Minister Tony Blair in 10 Downing Street, where he was responsible for crafting Blair’s final speech as Leader of the Labour Party. Prior to this, he was the director of the Social Market Foundation think tank. Following his time in government, Collins returned to journalism, becoming a leader writer and columnist for The Times for ten years. He has also contributed to other major publications, such as the New Statesman and the Evening Standard, covering British politics and communication. He has also been a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics and an associate editor of Prospect magazine.

Collins founded The Draft, a writing agency that focuses on rhetoric and persuasion, working with FTSE companies, start-ups, charities, and political campaigns. Within this role, he has developed communications strategies, provided bespoke writing services, and conducted training for organizations and individuals. He has also authored six books, including “Start Again: How We Can Fix Our Broken Politics” and several on the art of speeches and communication. Collins also advised Sir Keir Starmer on his 2021 Conference speech and was Chair of Trustees at the Demos think tank for a decade, from July 2008 to January 2018.