Gawain Towler: From Journalism to British Political Communications
A closer look at his journalism, Conservative years, UKIP press career, Brexit Party work, Reform UK role and current public affairs work.
Gawain Towler has spent much of his working life around British politics and the media.
His career did not follow one straight path. Journalism came first. Political communications became the bigger story.
He worked with the Conservatives, spent many years handling press for UKIP, moved into the Brexit Party and later Reform UK, then returned to Reform’s governing structure after leaving his communications post.
Right now, he also works in public affairs and political commentary.
Quick Facts About Gawain Towler
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Gawain Howard Wilkinson Towler |
| Nationality | British |
| Profession | Political strategist, communications adviser and journalist |
| Education | Clayesmore School and University of York |
| University subject | Philosophy |
| Former party work | Conservative Party, UKIP, Brexit Party and Reform UK |
| Former major role | Director of Communications for the Brexit Party/Reform UK |
| Current Reform role | Member of Reform UK’s governing board |
| Current professional role | Senior Adviser at Bradshaw Advisory |
| Charity role | Trustee of The Museum of Brexit |
| Main career area | Political communications, journalism and public affairs |
His full name is confirmed by the Charity Commission’s trustee register, while current professional and political sources identify him as a communications specialist and Reform UK board member.
Early Life and Education
Public profiles say Towler was educated at Clayesmore School in Dorset before studying philosophy at the University of York.
That university period also brought him closer to politics. Profiles of his career record his involvement with Conservative student politics while studying at York.
The political connection stuck.
But his early professional years mixed politics, European affairs and journalism rather than putting him directly into elected office.
That distinction matters.
Towler became much better known for working behind political campaigns and dealing with journalists than for serving as an elected politician.
Early Work in European Politics
By the end of the 1990s, Towler was working around European institutions.
University College London records him as an International Development adviser to the Conservative Group in the European Parliament from 1999 to 2001.
It gave him direct experience of European politics before Brexit became the huge British political issue it later became.
He then moved further into journalism.
Journalism and The Sprout
Towler worked as a freelance journalist from around 2001 to 2005.
UCL records his work with Private Eye and The Sunday Telegraph during this period. It also identifies him as the founder and editor of the Brussels-based publication The Sprout.
So journalism was not a side interest.
It formed a real part of his early career.
Working around Brussels also meant Towler understood both sides of political media work: how reporters look for stories and how political organisations try to present their case.
That experience would become central to his later jobs.
Conservative Party Election Campaigns
Before becoming closely linked with UKIP, Towler stood for election as a Conservative candidate.
He contested Glasgow Maryhill at the 2001 UK general election.
House of Commons Library figures record 1,162 votes, equal to 5.2% of votes cast. Labour candidate Ann McKechin won the constituency.
Two years later, Towler stood for the Conservatives in Glasgow Kelvin during the 2003 Scottish Parliament election.
The Scottish Parliament records 1,816 votes for him. Labour’s Pauline McNeill won the seat with 7,880 votes.
Neither campaign led to elected office.
His career soon moved much more firmly towards political communications.
Gawain Towler and UKIP
This became the long part.
Towler joined UKIP’s press operation in 2004.
His current Bradshaw Advisory profile says he worked as UKIP’s chief press officer from 2004 to 2017, starting around its European Parliament operation in Brussels and later heading its London press work from 2009.
Other published accounts place the end of that period around 2018, so exact job-title dates differ slightly between sources. The safe point is clear: he spent well over a decade working inside UKIP’s media operation.
Those were busy years.
UKIP moved from being a smaller Eurosceptic party into a much more visible force in British politics, particularly during Nigel Farage’s leadership.
Towler’s job was communications.
Basically, that meant working with journalists, handling political stories, responding to press questions and helping present the party’s message publicly.
He became one of the party’s familiar behind-the-scenes media figures.
European Election Candidacies
Towler also appeared on UKIP election lists.
He stood as a UKIP candidate in European Parliament elections, including campaigns in South West England.
He did not become an MEP.
Again, his lasting public profile came mainly from his press and communications work rather than elected office.
Role During the Brexit Years
Towler had already spent years arguing the Eurosceptic case before the UK voted on EU membership in 2016.
His long UKIP role placed him around political campaigning and media work during the period leading to the referendum.
His political position on the issue was clear: he supported the UK’s departure from the European Union.
That is a documented political position, not a judgment about Brexit itself.
Towler has since written and spoken about his experiences during that period, including his work around UKIP and the referendum campaign.
Brexit Party Communications Role
In 2019, Towler returned to a senior party communications position when he became Director of Communications for the Brexit Party.
The party was later renamed Reform UK.
Bradshaw Advisory records his appointment in 2019, while Oxford University’s Mises Society describes him as Reform UK’s former director of communications from 2019 to 2024.
This put him back near the centre of Nigel Farage’s political media operation.
He worked through another period of change: the rise of the Brexit Party, its later shift into Reform UK and Reform’s campaign during the 2024 general election period.
Leaving Reform UK’s Communications Team
Towler stopped serving as Reform UK’s communications chief in 2024.
PoliticsHome reported that Ed Sumner replaced him as head of communications in September 2024 as the party made staffing changes under then-chairman Zia Yusuf.
That ended his staff communications role.
It did not end his involvement with Reform UK.
Quite the opposite.
Elected to Reform UK’s Governing Board
In August 2025, Reform UK announced a new party board.
Towler was one of three board members elected by the party’s membership. Darren Grimes and Dan Barker were the other elected members named in contemporary reporting. Three more members were appointed by party leader Nigel Farage.
His position remained current in September 2026.
A Dods Political Intelligence interview published on 2 September 2026 identifies Towler as a member of Reform UK’s governing board and a regular commentator on the party.
So his relationship with Reform has changed.
He moved from paid communications work into party governance.
Public Affairs and Advisory Work
Politics is only part of his current work.
Towler is listed as a Senior Adviser at Bradshaw Advisory, a public affairs, economics, policy and communications consultancy.
The firm’s current team page still lists him in that position.
His professional background makes the connection fairly easy to understand.
He has spent years dealing with Westminster journalists, political campaigns, party communications and public policy.
Bradshaw has also published political commentary carrying his analysis, particularly on Reform UK and British politics.
Museum of Brexit
Towler has another documented role outside party politics.
He is a trustee of The Museum of Brexit.
The Charity Commission for England and Wales records his full name as Gawain Howard Wilkinson Towler and shows that he became a trustee on 25 September 2025.
His connection with the organisation started earlier.
Charity documents previously identified him as a voluntary press officer for the museum project.
The organisation says its purpose includes preserving material connected with Britain’s relationship with the European Union and providing educational programmes around the subject.
Writing and Media Commentary
Towler has never completely left journalism behind.
He continues to write and speak about politics.
His professional profile says he regularly appears in broadcast and print media discussing British politics and Reform UK.
He has also written commentary on political campaigns, elections, Brexit and party politics.
In 2025, Oxford University’s Mises Society hosted him for a talk titled “The Future of Libertarianism in Reform UK.” The university event page described him as a Reform UK board member and former communications director.
That mix of journalism and political communications has stayed with him throughout his career.
Gawain Towler’s Election Record
Towler has stood in several elections, though his public career has mainly been outside elected office.
Two contests can be confirmed directly from parliamentary records:
2001 UK General Election — Glasgow Maryhill
Conservative candidate
Votes: 1,162
Vote share: 5.2%
2003 Scottish Parliament Election — Glasgow Kelvin
Conservative candidate
Votes: 1,816
He later stood in European elections as a UKIP candidate but did not become an MEP.
What Is Gawain Towler Doing Now?
As of September 2026, Towler remains active in politics, media and public affairs.
He is a Reform UK governing-board member.
He is also listed as a Senior Adviser at Bradshaw Advisory.
And he remains a trustee of The Museum of Brexit, according to the Charity Commission.
So he has not stepped away from public life.
His role has simply changed again.
Final Thought
Gawain Towler’s career sits between journalism and political communications.
He started with journalism and European political work, stood for the Conservatives, spent many years handling UKIP’s press operation and later worked as communications director for the Brexit Party and Reform UK.
Today, he has a different mix of jobs.
He sits on Reform UK’s governing board, works in public affairs and continues to comment on British politics.
That makes his story less about holding public office and more about the people working behind political campaigns, press coverage and party messaging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Gawain Towler?
Gawain Towler is a British political strategist, journalist and communications adviser known for his work with UKIP, the Brexit Party and Reform UK.
Is Gawain Towler a member of Reform UK?
Yes. Current sources identify him as a member of Reform UK’s governing board.
Did Gawain Towler work for UKIP?
Yes. Bradshaw Advisory says he worked in UKIP’s press operation from 2004 to 2017.
Was Gawain Towler Reform UK’s communications director?
Yes. Oxford University’s Mises Society records him as the party’s former Director of Communications from 2019 to 2024.
Did Gawain Towler stand for Parliament?
Yes. He stood as the Conservative candidate for Glasgow Maryhill in the 2001 general election.
Did Gawain Towler win an election?
The parliamentary contests covered here did not result in elected public office. In 2025, though, Reform UK members elected him to the party’s governing board.
What does Gawain Towler do now?
He is a Reform UK governing-board member, Senior Adviser at Bradshaw Advisory and trustee of The Museum of Brexit.
Is Gawain Towler a journalist?
Yes. UCL records earlier freelance journalism work involving Private Eye, The Sunday Telegraph and his Brussels publication The Sprout.
