Who Is Matthew McGregor? Andy Burnham's Strategy Chief Linked To Grooming Gangs Report Controversy

Matthew McGregor, the newly appointed Head of Political Strategy to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, is facing mounting scrutiny after reports linked him to a 2021 Hope Not Hate report that allegedly downplayed the nationwide grooming gang scandal—a document co-authored alongside a Labour councillor later convicted of child sex offences.

According to reports, McGregor was listed as a contributor alongside former Hope Not Hate political organiser Liron Velleman, who was convicted earlier this year of child sexual offence-related charges.

The controversy has prompted criticism from political opponents and commentators, while supporters argue that the report lacks its wider context.

McGregor's Hope Not Hate Report Draws Scrutiny

McGregor, a long-time political campaigner, previously held senior roles at Hope Not Hate, campaign group 38 Degrees and human rights organisation Reprieve before joining Burnham's administration. His appointment places him among the Prime Minister's closest political advisers, making his past work a renewed focus of public debate

However, since his appointment, his quick action of deleting his social media, especially his X account, has raised eyebrows, which eventually prompted many to start digging into his background.

According to an investigation by The National Pulse, McGregor is listed as a 'contributor' to the 2021 Hope Not Hate report Backlash, Conspiracies & Confrontation, which examined the rise of conspiracy theories during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The same report lists Liron Velleman – then a Labour Party-elected councillor and Hope Not Hate political organiser – as a contributor. Velleman was sentenced earlier this year to an eight-month suspended prison term after sending sexual images to someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl, according to reports.

On page 35, the report refers to 'trumped-up grooming allegations' in England and accuses anti-grooming activists of claiming a police 'cover-up' where no evidence was found. On page 115, the document predicts a return to focus on 'so-called 'grooming' gangs' once pandemic restrictions ease.

However, it should be noted that there is no suggestion that McGregor was involved in, or had any knowledge of, Velleman's later criminal conduct when the report was published. The report itself was released several years before Velleman's conviction.

Scrutiny Mounts On Burnham's Appointment

Commentators and experts have noted that McGregor deleted his X account days before assuming his Downing Street role, following an earlier exposé of his social media posts.

According to reports, one 2016 post described then-Brexit leader Nigel Farage as a 'racist piece of sh**,' while another called Chancellor Rachel Reeves's fiscal rules 'too tight' despite UK debt exceeding 90 per cent of GDP.

Critics argue McGregor's activist background makes him an unusual choice for a role shaping government strategy and questions Burnham's judgement for appointing him in a core position.

Hope Not Hate Report Remains Under Debate

The controversy comes as the grooming gangs issue has re-emerged as a major political topic across Britain, with ministers facing calls for stronger investigations into historical child sexual exploitation cases.

Hope Not Hate, a UK-based advocacy and campaign group that fights racism and far-right extremism, has consistently maintained that its reports examine misinformation and the exploitation of genuine criminal cases by extremist groups, rather than denying the existence of organised child abuse.

The organisation has repeatedly condemned child sexual exploitation and has supported criminal prosecutions.

As of publication, neither Burnham's office nor McGregor had publicly responded to the latest criticism surrounding his appointment or the renewed attention on the 2021 report.