I’ve known Philip Gould almost half my life. I first met him twenty one years ago in his Soho Offices, from which he was running the Shadow Communications Agency. I last saw him just a few days ago in his home, where he showed dignity, courage and generosity in equal measure.
Since Alastair Campbell passed on the sad news last night my mind has turned to the episodes and experiences involved in working with Philip over the past two decades: working at a word processor drafting lines the night before Tony Blair’s leadership acceptance speech in 1994; together looking at a hand drawn poster in 1999 and agreeing that “Divorce is an Expensive Business” was in fact a winning campaign theme; the exhausting but energising hours spent alongside each other in the Millbank war room; and the many, many post-focus group, late night analysis phone calls.
Over the years, and at times to the frustration of both our families, we shared countless conversations about Labour. It is hard to imagine that we will not do so again.
To describe him as a pollster would be like describing Pele as a footballer. He wasnt simply a number cruncher or a scientist, he was an artist – combining an acute understanding of psephology, psychology’s political strategy.
He deployed those huge talents in the service of the country and the party that he loved. As Alastair said this morning: “He was a team player, and his team was Labour.”
So I will miss Philip’s immense talents, but I’ll miss his friendship more. He had a warmth, humour and generosity of spirit too rare in politics.
He was a mentor as well as a colleague; a friend as well as an inspiration. Why? I think the key was his generosity. He was not cold or calculating. He was a vulnerable, emotional, driven, passionate man who you felt affirmed to be around. I will miss him very much.
But it is Gail, Georgia and Grace- the family he loved and in which he felt such pride – whose loss today is incalculable. They are in all our thoughts and prayers.
Douglas Alexander MP is shadow foreign secretary