Anacta Strategies: The Labour-Specialist Lobbying Firm With Close No 10 Ties

Business is booming at Anacta Strategies, a lobbying firm that advised the Labour Party in the 2024 election, according to newly filed company accounts. The firm, which describes itself as “the leading Labour-specialist advisory firm,” counts Pearson Engineering, an Israeli-owned defence firm, among its clients. Pearson Engineering recently won a £10 million contract with the Ministry of Defence, its largest to date.

Anacta has also lobbied the government on behalf of Airbnb, Visa, and Sky, as documented in the statutory lobbying register. However, the firm does not publish a complete list of its clients and is not a signatory to the lobbying industry’s voluntary code of conduct.

According to Electoral Commission data, Anacta billed the Labour Party £90,000 for campaigns and strategy advice during the successful 2024 election campaign. The firm maintains close ties to the party, with Anacta staff holding frequent meetings with senior Labour figures since the election.

‘Corporate capture’

Founded by two lobbyists with ties to the Australian Labor Party, Anacta’s first UK hire was Teddy Ryan. Ryan left his position as a director of the Labour Party to join the company shortly after the 2024 general election. Prior to joining Anacta, Ryan focused on developing the Labour Party’s relationships with businesses, establishing the Labour Business Network and organizing the party’s initial City business conferences.

Anacta’s UK operations are a subsidiary of its Australian parent company, which continues to provide significant operational support, as indicated in company accounts. In November, the firm appointed Matt Faulding as senior counsel. Faulding previously served as secretary of the Parliamentary Labour Party and is a close associate of former Downing Street chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, playing a key role in the candidate selection process for the general election.

Shortly after joining Anacta, Faulding hosted a private breakfast for clients and political figures. Clare Reynolds, who served as No 10’s political director until September 2025 and remains a senior Labour official, offered attendees “invaluable tips on when, who and how to engage with No.10,” according to a LinkedIn post by Anacta. The firm regularly hosts monthly roundtables for clients, often featuring MPs and Labour Party insiders.

While regulations exist to prevent individuals from immediately transitioning from government to lobbying roles, neither Faulding nor Ryan were subject to these rules as they were employees of the Labour Party, not the government.

Anacta effectively leverages both professional and personal connections within the Labour Party. Reynolds, who continues to work for the party, is married to Labour’s chief whip, Jonathan Reynolds. Anacta’s managing director, Ryan, is married to Labour general secretary Hollie Ridley. Both couples were featured in a recent Politico Power Couple ranking, placed first and 38th respectively.

Another Anacta staff member, Kate Forrester, is married to Paul Ovenden, a No-10 aide who resigned in September 2025. Forrester previously worked at APCO, the PR firm involved in the Labour Together scandal, where she led the London public affairs team during a commission to investigate journalists including Paul Holden regarding their reporting on the group’s finances.

Anacta’s financial records indicate significant growth in its first full year under a Labour government. Outstanding invoices reached £210,123 by June 2025, a substantial increase from £700 the previous year. While outstanding invoices represent dues owed at the end of the financial year, the increase suggests a considerable expansion of business. The firm has registered additional clients with the statutory watchdog since this period, indicating continued growth.

Labour MP Jon Trickett, a long-time advocate for reforms to reduce conflicts of interest related to the “revolving door” between government and big business, stated: “In a democracy, power and influence is supposed to be exercised by the voters. But when private wealth and big corporations capture the state then democracy itself is subverted.”

“This corporate capture occurs in a variety of ways, one of which is the revolving door whereby one day someone is ensconced deep in political structures and shortly afterwards the knowledge and contacts they have acquired are on offer to the highest bidder.”

Jon Trickett, Labour MP

‘Gaping holes in the system’

Opposition MPs have raised concerns in parliament regarding Anacta’s access to government, with Conservative MPs John Glen and Mike Wood requesting information from ministers about meetings between Anacta representatives and special advisors in the Treasury and Downing Street. The government did not provide a substantive response.

The current definition of lobbying, which triggers registration with the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists, does not include lobbying of special advisors – political appointees who often exert significant influence but lack the statutory authority of elected ministers or civil servants.

Newly released government transparency data reveals that Anacta hosted Morgan McSweeney for lunch in mid-December, recorded only as hospitality, with no indication of the meeting’s purpose. The firm also participated in a roundtable last May with then-tech secretary Peter Kyle, alongside representatives from Pearson Engineering, fintech firm Revolut, and Amazon Web Services.

Unlike many of its competitors, Anacta is not a member of the PRCA’s Public Affairs Board and does not adhere to its Code for Professional Lobbying – the lobbying industry’s voluntary ethical standard. This is a commonality it shares with Arden Strategies. Firms not subscribing to this code are not required to publish a comprehensive list of their clients, only those on whose behalf they conduct lobbying activities meeting the narrow statutory definition for registration.

Kamila Kingstone, programme director at Spotlight on Corruption, argued that this case demonstrates the inadequacy of the current lobbying transparency framework.

“Anacta Strategies is yet another example of why comprehensive lobbying regulation is urgently needed. When a firm created by well-connected former party staffers can operate outside any code of conduct and lobby special advisers without triggering transparency requirements, it exposes gaping holes in the system.”

Kamila Kingstone, Programme Director at Spotlight on Corruption

“The public deserves to know who is influencing government. If we are serious about restoring trust in politics, we need stronger, more comprehensive rules that bring all lobbying into the light and ensure fair access to government decision-makers.”

Anacta Strategies did not respond to a request for comment.