Matthew Elliott (political strategist)
Matthew Jim Elliott FRSA (born 12 February 1978) is a British political strategist and lobbyist who has served as the chief executive of a number of organisations and been involved in various referendum campaigns, including Vote Leave. Elliott was the founder and has served as chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance in 2004, Big Brother Watch and Business for Britain. He has also worked as a political strategist, acting as campaign director for the successful NOtoAV campaign in the 2011 Alternative Vote referendum. In 2015, Elliott became the chief executive of Vote Leave, the official organisation advocating for a 'leave' vote in the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum. He was described as "...one of the most successful political campaigners in Westminster today." In 2018, The Guardian described him as a central figure in "a network of opaquely funded organisations", mostly based at 55 Tufton Street, that "centre around... the TaxPayers’ Alliance – a pressure group that he founded – and Brexit Central, an anti-EU website of which [he was then] editor-in-chief". Personal life and education Elliott was born in Leeds and attended Leeds Grammar School. He graduated with a First in BSc Government from the London School of Economics in 2000. Whilst at the LSE, he was President of the LSESU Hayek Society. Since 2014, he has been a trustee of the Social Affairs Unit, a right-leaning think-tank. Elliott has been described by the BBC as "one of the most effective lobbyists at Westminster", and in 2010 was named by Total Politics magazine as one of the top 25 political influencers in the UK. In 2017 he was placed at Number 85 in commentator Iain Dale's list of 'The Top 100 Most Influential People on the Right'. Elliott is married to Sarah Elliott (née Smith), Chairwoman of Republicans Overseas UK. The couple have one daughter and live in a flat in the South London Borough of Brixton. Career Elliott served as press officer for the European Foundation from 2000, and political secretary to Timothy Kirkhope MEP from 2001. Lobbying In 2004, Elliott co-founded the TaxPayers' Alliance with Andrew Allum. He served as Chief executive of the organisation until 2014. In 2009, he founded the civil liberties and privacy pressure group Big Brother Watch, in response to "the prevailing climate of authoritarian and intrusive policies being pursued by the British state". In 2012, he was also a founding member of Conservative Friends of Russia. According to the New Statesman, "Elliott did attend a Conservative Friends of Russia reception in 2012 and a 10-day trip to the country, but said he had no further involvement." Referendums NOtoAV In 2011, he took a sabbatical to act as Campaign Director for the NOtoAV campaign during the 2011 United Kingdom Alternative Vote referendum. NOtoAV were successful in maintaining the current voting system, receiving 67.9% of the votes cast. He is credited with helping to turn public opinion against the alternative vote, from 2 to 1 in favour to 2 to 1 against. The