Mark English

Background

About Mark English

After more than two decades as an EU official and spokesperson, I am now working part time on a freelance basis with European Movement UK. I am open to other complementary opportunities. I was head of media for the European Commission in London for seven years and tried to be a strong and clear advocate for the EU in an often hostile context. I enjoy making EU politics understandable and interesting and (usually) manage to avoid jargon and bureaucrat-speak. My strengths include drafting clear political analysis and punchy press material, dealing with journalists - including most of the UK's best-known political editors - and advising senior politicians on communication strategy and media appearances. I have substantial experience of doing broadcast interviews myself and am a confident public speaker. I have worked at the centre of the European Commission, in a team working to former President José Manuel Barroso and then as spokesperson for former Irish EU Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn. So I know intimately how 'Brussels' works. I have also worked as a policy adviser for the Commission - on economic reform and before that education and culture policy - and for the UK government. I was part of the team that prepared UK legislation setting up digital terrestrial TV. I had other lives before becoming a civil servant - I am a qualified teacher of English as a second language and French and have also worked as a journalist and business language trainer, as well as in office, retail and construction/industrial cleaning jobs. I was the editor and lead writer of the euromyths.eu rebuttal blog and my personal Twitter feed is @EULondonMark.