Andrew Adonis

Lord Andrew Adonis is a politician and former journalist who held several key ministerial roles during the Labour party’s time in government. Lord Adonis joined the Financial Times in 1991, before moving to the Observer as a political columnist. Prime Minister Tony Blair appointed Lord Adonis to work with the Number 10 Special Policy Unit as an adviser, before later becoming head of the unit. Lord Adonis held further roles in government, including Minister for State Education, Minister of State for Transport, before joining Gordon Brown’s cabinet as Secretary of State for Transport.

Lord Adonis was an important figure for the Labour party in trying to broker a deal with the Liberal Democrats after the 2010 election. He later published the book 5 Days in May: The Coalition and Beyond, describing the period from an insider perspective.

Appointed to chair the new National Infrastructure Commission in 2015, Lord Adonis resigned in late 2017 protesting the manner of the management of Brexit by HM Government and at the re-negotiation of the Virgin Trains East Coast rail franchise.

Lord Adonis has been highly critical of the 2023 cancellation of the northern leg of HS2.