Chancellor Rachel Reeves is set to announce a new economic advisory council to guide Labour's primary mission of economic growth. The council, expected to be chaired by John Van Reenen, an innovation expert from the London School of Economics (LSE) and former adviser under Tony Blair, will sit within the Treasury.
The council will initially include three other members: Anna Valero, a senior policy fellow at LSE and former member of Jeremy Hunt's economic advisory council; Spencer Thompson, a former economist at the Institute for Public Policy Research; and Neil Amin-Smith, a former Clean Bandit violinist turned economist who previously worked at the Treasury.
Valero, who focuses on productivity, endorsed Labour's economic plans before the general election. Thompson has advised Labour on economic policy since 2020, while Amin-Smith joined Labour from the Treasury two years ago.
Reeves aims to gather diverse perspectives from independent experts to inform growth policies. The council is part of Labour's broader reshaping of Whitehall, including the creation of 'mission delivery boards' with senior figures from business and economics.
A Treasury spokesperson confirmed that formal appointments are yet to be announced.
