Michael Levy, Baron Levy

2025-09-27T18:06:21Z

91.54.6.233: arms motto

{{Short description|British Baron (born 1944)}}
{{for|the founder of ''Texas Monthly'' magazine|Michael R. Levy}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}
{{BLP sources|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[The Right Honourable]]
| name = The Lord Levy
| honorific-suffix =
| image = Official portrait of Lord Levy crop 2.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption = Official portrait, 2019
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1944|07|11}}
| birth_place = [[Stoke Newington]], [[North London]], England
| spouse = Gilda
| office =
| term_start =
| term_end =
| monarch =
| primeminister =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| party = [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]
}}

'''Michael Abraham Levy, Baron Levy''' (born 11 July 1944) is a British [[life peer]] and former chartered accountant who was chairman and CEO of a large independent group of music companies. A long-standing friend of former prime minister [[Tony Blair]], Levy was the chief fundraiser for the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] under Blair and spent nine years as Blair's special envoy to the Middle East.

Levy now acts as a consultant for a number of companies and is also chairman of a finance company. He is also the president of Sense and Sense International, Jewish Care, Barnet and Southgate Colleges, Jewish Free School (JFS), Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade (JLGB), Etz Chaim Jewish Primary School, and Mathilda Marks-Kennedy Jewish Primary School (MMK). He was previously president of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust and president of Volunteering Matters.

==Early life==
Levy was born in the summer of 1944 in what was then still considered a socially deprived neighbourhood of [[Stoke Newington]] in [[North London]]. He was the only child of Samuel and Annie Levy, devout Jewish immigrant parents of modest means.<ref name=bagman /> His father was the head of the synagogue, the [[gabbai|shamash]] in Walford Road [[Synagogue|shul]] in Stoke Newington and his grandfather was a rabbi. The family lived in a one-room apartment until he was nine years old and used the public baths. As a child growing up in poverty, he later remembered: “If I got a fruit once a week from Ridley Street market, that was a treat.” Levy was educated at Grocers, later known as [[Hackney Downs School]]. He left the school at 16 to become an accountant.<ref name="mishpachaMay2022">Gedalia Guttentag, Yoni Klajn: [https://mishpacha.com/a-lord-and-a-mensch/ A Lord and a Mensch], 31 May 2022</ref>

==Career==
===Music industry===
Levy qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1966 (ACA then FCA) and set up a professional accountancy practice. The practice attracted a great number of clients in the music and entertainment industry, and Levy became a specialist in international copyright and licence. Amongst the clients were [[the Foundations]], Vanity Fair, Roger Greenaway, Barry Mason and many other successful producers and artists.

Levy founded [[Magnet Records]] with [[Peter Shelley]] in 1973.<ref name="Sweeting">Adam Sweeting [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/23/alvin-stardust "Alvin Stardust obituary"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141027154440/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/oct/23/alvin-stardust |date=27 October 2014 }}, ''The Guardian'', 23 October 2014</ref> This became one of the most successful independent labels of its day and, at one stage, had 10% of the British singles market with four singles in the top ten of the [[UK Singles Chart]]. The successful artists on the label included [[Alvin Stardust]], [[Adrian Baker]], [[Chris Rea]], [[Bad Manners]], [[Darts (band)|Darts]], [[Susan Cadogan]], [[Silver Convention]] and [[Guys 'n' Dolls]]. Levy sold Magnet Records to [[Warner Brothers]] in 1988 for [[Pound Sterling|£]]10[[million|m]].

Guitarist Chris Rea said of Levy, "He is extremely tough, one of the hardest bastards I have ever met, but I would leave my children with him rather than anyone else." The [[record producer|music producer]] [[Pete Waterman]] described him as "the greatest salesman I have ever met. He would be able to sell sand to the Arabs."<ref name=bagman />

After Magnet was sold, Levy set up [[M&G Records]] with backing from [[Polygram Records|Polygram]]. [[M&G Records]] was so named as it was the initials of Michael and his wife Gilda, and featured acts such as [[Zoë (British singer)|Zoe]] who had a top five hit with "[[Sunshine on a Rainy Day]]" and [[Pele (English band)|Pele]] who had success with "Fair Blows the Wind for France". Polygram were then bought out, and the company was eventually sold to Bertelsmann (BMG) in 1997.

===Other roles===
In 2008 Levy became Chairman of International Standard Asset Management until 2011. He became Principal of Global Consultancy Services acting as a consultant to a number of companies and Chairman of Chase Mill Hill Ltd.<ref name=lords-bio />

==Political activities==
Levy first met Tony Blair at a dinner party in 1994, hosted by Israeli diplomat [[Gideon Meir]],<ref name=bagman>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2006/mar/19/constitution.partyfunding | title=There was once a jolly bagman | author=Euan Ferguson |newspaper=The Observer |location=London |date=19 March 2006 |access-date=19 January 2011}}</ref> the two having a common friend in [[Eldred Tabachnik]], a senior barrister and former president of the [[Board of Deputies of British Jews]], at 11 King's Bench Walk Chambers, the chambers founded by [[Derry Irvine, Baron Irvine of Lairg|Derry Irvine]] where Blair had trained in the early 1980s.<ref name="magic">{{cite news | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2092803,00.html | title=Lord Cashpoint's touch of money magic | newspaper=Sunday Times | date=19 March 2006 | author=Stuart Wavell | location=London | access-date=16 July 2006 | archive-date=26 July 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080726222006/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2092803,00.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> They soon became close friends and tennis partners. Levy ran the [[Labour Leader's Office Fund]] to finance Blair's campaign before the 1997 general election and received substantial contributions from such figures as [[Alex Bernstein]] and [[Robert Gavron]], both of whom were ennobled by Blair after he came to power. Known as "Lord Cashpoint" to some in the media and politics,<ref name="magic" /> he was the leading fundraiser for the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007 (having raised over £100m for the Labour Party).<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wright |first=Oliver |date=June 10, 2022 |title=Lord Levy returns to top up Labour’s donations |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/lord-levy-returns-to-top-up-labours-donations-95jd7hlrx |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009070222/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/lord-levy-returns-to-top-up-labours-donations-95jd7hlrx |archive-date=October 9, 2024 |access-date=October 26, 2024 |work=[[The Times]]}}</ref>

He has been described by ''[[The Jerusalem Post]]'' as "undoubtedly the notional leader of [[British Jewry]]".<ref name="magic" /> He was a founding member of the [[Jewish Leadership Council]], the leadership of the UK Jewish community. Levy has close ties with Israeli political leaders. His son, [[Daniel Levy (Middle East expert)|Daniel Levy]], was active in Israeli political life, and served as an assistant to the former Israeli Prime Minister [[Ehud Barak]] and to former [[Knesset]] member [[Yossi Beilin]]. Daniel is now based in the UK and is President of the US Middle East Project and before that was Head of the Middle East Department of the European Council of Foreign Relations. Levy was associated with the [[Labour Friends of Israel]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Pierce, Andrew|title=Blair's chance to raise cash for Pounds 1m refund|newspaper=The Times|date=18 November 1997}}</ref>{{verify source|date=April 2020}} Levy has praised Blair for his "solid and committed support of the State of Israel"<ref>[http://www.jewishcare.org/events/ Jewish Care], Fundraising Dinner 2006</ref> and "his commitment to the peace process". From 1998 until 2007, he acted as Prime Minister Blair's personal envoy to the Middle East, being replaced by [[Gordon Brown]]'s appointee, [[Michael Williams, Baron Williams of Baglan|Lord Williams of Baglan]], in September 2007.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/6929458.stm |title=UK appoints new Middle East envoy |work=BBC News |date=3 August 2007 |access-date=6 August 2007 |archive-date=23 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223104708/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6929458.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Blair said Levy carried out "a perfectly excellent job as my envoy under very difficult circumstances".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Webster |first=Philip |date=2024-04-20 |title=Downing Street backing Levy amid fears he might 'implode' |newspaper=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/downing-street-backing-levy-amid-fears-he-might-implode-lhd55cqxdbr |access-date=2024-04-20 |language=en |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> In 2007, he stepped down as Middle East envoy when Blair resigned the premiership.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 10, 2007 |title=Levy to quit with Blair |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/world/levy-to-quit-with-blair-idUSL23657920/ |access-date=September 6, 2024 |work=[[Reuters]] |agency=}}</ref> Many leaders in the region, including Palestinian President [[Mahmoud Abbas]] have praised Levy for always offering constructive suggestions.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}} In September 2005, Levy was appointed President of the Council of the [[Specialist Schools and Academies Trust]], the body overseeing the government's [[Specialist school]]s and [[Academy (England)|Academy]] programmes.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

In 2000, Levy was criticised when it was revealed that he had paid only £5,000 tax during the financial year 1998–1999<ref>{{cite news | title=Blair tycoon paid just £5,000 tax | newspaper=Sunday Times | date=25 June 2000}}</ref> – however it was subsequently shown even in that year the tax paid was £30,000. In an interview at the time, repeated on BBC2's Newsnight on 16 March 2006, Levy stated that "Over the years I have paid many millions of tax and, if you average it, each year it comes to many hundreds of thousands of pounds. In that particular year, I was giving my time to the Labour Party and the voluntary sector, and I just lived off capital."<ref name="profile">{{cite news | url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/5173880.stm | title=Profile: Lord Levy | date=12 July 2006 | publisher=BBC}}</ref>

Levy was arrested and questioned in connection with the "[[Cash for Honours]]" inquiry by the [[Metropolitan Police]] on 12 July 2006 (whereby it was suggested that money was paid to political parties for Honours in particular peerages).<ref name=police1>{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5173860.stm |title=Top Labour fundraiser Levy bailed |work=BBC News |date=12 July 2006 |access-date=19 January 2011 |archive-date=15 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080315131002/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5173860.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> No charges were made against Levy, and the police removed all details from their files.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Levy advised [[Jeremy Corbyn]]'s team on tackling antisemitism during [[Labour Party leadership of Jeremy Corbyn|Corbyn's leadership of the party]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Owen |date=2020-10-16 |title=Writing an honest account of Corbynism and its defeat: my response to Len McCluskey |url=https://owenjones84.medium.com/writing-an-honest-account-of-corbynism-and-its-defeat-my-response-to-len-mccluskey-2fae78677cfc |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Medium |language=en}}</ref>

==Philanthropy==
Levy was involved in fundraising from his early life and from the late 1960s for many causes, including Jewish and Israeli causes. For this he showed a special adeptness, raising, between 1988 and 1994, [[Pound Sterling|£]]60[[million|m]] for [[Jewish Care]], an amalgam of several Jewish charitable organisations, of which he is now President.<ref name=bagman /> Simon Morris, Former Chief Executive of Jewish Care, said of Levy that, when it comes to fundraising, "there's no one better in the country." Levy has been described as the number one fundraiser in the country, and he has raised hundreds of millions of pounds for charitable causes over the years.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Katz |first=Ian |date=2004-12-02 |title=Advantage Levy |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2004/dec/02/labour.uk |access-date=2024-09-06 |work=[[The Guardian]] |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Valley |first=Paul |date=March 18, 2006 |title=Michael Levy: Lord Cashpoint |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/profiles/michael-levy-lord-cashpoint-6106416.html |access-date=September 6, 2024 |work=[[The Independent]]}}</ref>

He is Life President of [[Jewish Care]], and the President of [[Jewish Free School]] (JFS), [[Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade]] (JLGB), Etz Chaim Jewish Primary School, Mathilda Marks-Kennedy Jewish Primary School (MMK), Barnet & Southgate Colleges and Sense & Sense International<ref name=lords-bio>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/michael-levy/26917 |title=Lord Levy |publisher=House of Lords |access-date=23 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101227131656/http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/michael-levy/26917 |archive-date=27 December 2010 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="aide">{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/5196710.stm |title=MP probes award to Levy ex-aide |publisher=BBC |date=19 July 2006}}</ref> and the Honorary President of UJIA and the former President of Volunteering Matters and the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust.

He was a Member of the Advisory Council of Step Up to Serve Campaign (2013-2020), Chair of the Policy Network Foundation, a policy think tank and a former member of the Board of Directors of the International Peace Institute, IPI (2014-2019).

==Recognition==
Levy was created a [[life peer]] on 23 September 1997 as Baron Levy of [[Mill Hill]] in the [[London Borough of Barnet]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=54904 |date=29 September 1997 |page=10969}}</ref> Since making his [[maiden speech]] on 3 December 1997, Levy has not spoken in a debate at the [[House of Lords]].

He received an Honorary Doctorate from [[Middlesex University]] in 1999, and the Israel Policy Forum (USA) Special Recognition Award in 2003. In 1994, he was a Recipient of the [[B'nai B'rith]] First Lodge Award and in 1998 a Recipient of the Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem Scopus Award. He has received the Jewish Chronicle 175th Anniversary Award for outstanding, unique and long term contributions to British Community life.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

==Personal life==
He and his wife Gilda have a son, [[Daniel Levy (Middle East expert)|Daniel]], and a daughter, Juliet.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

Levy's home in [[Totteridge]], North London, was [[burglary|burgled]] in 2003. He and his wife Gilda were restrained with handcuffs and had bleach poured over them. Levy was hit on the head with a shovel and had his wrist broken; the attackers fled with £80,000 of cash and jewellery.<ref name="magic" />

Lord Levy's autobiography, ''A Question of Honour'', was published in 2008.<ref name=guardian-20080524>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/may/24/biography.politics | title=Blinded by the light | author=Martin Bell |newspaper=The Guardian |location=London |date=24 May 2008 |access-date=23 January 2011}}</ref>

==Arms==
His coat of arms bears witness to the core of his philosophy, the value of being a [[mensch]].
It’s inscribed ‘Oheiv shalom v’rodeif shalom’ and it’s the only coat of arms in the Lords to have Hebrew words on.<ref name="mishpachaMay2022" />

{{Infobox COA wide
|image = [[File:Coronet of a British Baron.svg|centre|150px]][[File:Levy Escutcheon.png|centre|200px]]
|coronet = [[Coronet|Coronet of a Baron]]
|escutcheon = Per pale Argent and Sable, five Bars counter-changed, over all three Trumpets bells upwards Or, a Chief engrailed of two arches Or.<ref>{{cite book|title=Debrett's Peerage |date=2019 |page=3346}}</ref>
|supporters = On either side a Dove contourny and supporting with the wings addorsed and inverted Argent, beaked and legged Gules, holding in the beak a Sprig of Olive Or.
|crest = A Dove Argent, beaked and legged Gules, the dexter wing expanded, inverted and supporting a Harp Or, in the beak a Sprig of Olive Or.
|badge =
|motto =
|symbolism =
}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category-inline|Michael Levy, Baron Levy}}

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{{s-bef|before=[[Baron Levene of Portsoken|The Lord Levene of Portsoken]]}}
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{{s-fol|after=[[Baron Newby|The Lord Newby]]}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Levy, Michael}}
[[Category:1944 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:English music managers]]
[[Category:British impresarios]]
[[Category:Levites]]
[[Category:English Jews]]
[[Category:English philanthropists]]
[[Category:Labour Party (UK) life peers]]
[[Category:Life peers created by Elizabeth II]]
[[Category:Labour Friends of Israel]]
[[Category:People from Stoke Newington]]
[[Category:People educated at Hackney Downs School]]
[[Category:British Zionists]]
[[Category:Jewish British politicians]]
[[Category:Jewish British philanthropists]]

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Michael Levy, Baron Levy