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Lucy Carrier-Pilkington | 28th October 2026 | Lobbying
Up to 24 MPs have disclosed details of “family members engaged in lobbying the public sector on behalf of a third party or client”; Mace investigates the most powerful couples
The number of MPs who have close relationships with lobbyists has risen from 20 in 2025 and includes husbands, wives, children and parents. The figure has risen consistently over recent years, up from only 12 in 2023.
The agency with the highest number of personal relationships with MPs is Flint Global, which is closely followed by Cavendish Consulting. The other agencies that have staff with personal connections to MPs include Brunswick, SEC Newgate UK, Teneo, Stonehaven, Hanover, Cardew Group, CT Group and the Connect Group, all of which have individuals related to MPs. Organisations including Make UK and the Gates Foundation have staff with family ties to MPs.
In this investigation, Mace reveals the lobbyists who are married to Labour ministers.
Lobbyist: Alex Zatman, director, Teneo. Married to: Georgia Gould, education minister and Labour MP for Queen’s Park and Maida Vale
Alex Zatman joined Teneo, a global CEO advisory firm, last year after a stint as a special adviser to Liz Kendall during her time as work and pensions secretary. Earlier in his career, he spent several years in comms roles at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Department for Work and Pensions, as well as a two-year stint as press officer at Salford City Council. More recently, he was an associate director at Freuds.
He has been married to Georgia Gould since 2021. Gould has been a Labour MP for Queen’s Park and Maida Vale since the 2024 general election and has served as Minister of State for School Standards since 2025. Gould is the daughter of two life peers and thus is styled The Honourable for life.
Lobbyist: Sam White, specialist partner, Flint Global, and managing director, Next Chapter Strategy. Married to: Katie White, climate minister and Labour MP for Leeds Northwest
Sam White boasts an impressive career, with experience as a specialist adviser to Alistair Darling, Chancellor during the last Labour government, and having held special adviser roles at the Departments of Trade and Industry and Transport. He then worked as Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff and before then spent more than a decade at Aviva as the group sustainability and public policy director. He founded Next Chapter Strategy, which is said to offer “strategic advice and insight”.
Sam is married to Katie White. Katie was elected in Leeds Northwest in 2024 and was the first female MP to be elected in the constituency. In the 2025 cabinet reshuffle, she was appointed as a junior minister by Keir Starmer. In July 2026, she was appointed as Minister of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero by Andy Burnham. Katie White’s work led to her being appointed OBE in the 2013 Birthday Honours. The official citation described her as “lately Head of International and UK Engagement, Department of Energy and Climate Change”, and the award was “for services tackling Climate Change Engagement in the UK and overseas”.
Lobbyist: Jacob Tilley, director, Cavendish. Married to: Uma Kumaran, Foreign Office minister and Labour MP for Stratford and Bow
Tilley joined Cavendish, a UK-based public affairs, strategic communications and stakeholder engagement consultancy, in 2023 and has described himself as a “political communications and campaigns professional” who is “adept at briefing politicians.” He previously spent several years at Heathrow Airport as its public affairs lead. He also worked for the Labour Party in various roles, including time as a senior campaign manager.
Tilley is married to Uma Kumaran, who was appointed as a Labour MP for Stratford and Bow in 2024. In July 2026, Kumaran was appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and as an Assistant Whip in the Burnham government. She has responsibility for Overseas Territories, the Caribbean, global technology and AI, violence against women and girls and departmental operations.
Lobbyist: Will Tanner, managing director and head of public affairs, Cardew Group. Married to: Lucy Rigby, Labour MP for Northampton North, city minister and economic secretary to the Treasury
Will Tanner joined Cardew in 2022 and leads its public affairs practice and advises senior leaders from some of Britain’s largest companies. Cardew is an independent strategic communications, public affairs and financial advisory consultancy based in London. Before then, he held senior comms roles at companies such as Alstom and Bombardier Transportation. He also spent 15 years at Finsbury, now FGS Global, leading the agency’s public affairs practice.
Tanner is married to Lucy Rigby, who is a politician and solicitor. She has been the MP for Northampton North since 2024. She has served as Economic Secretary to the Treasury since July 2026 and previously served as Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Solicitor General for England and Wales.
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