In spite of the fact that the description was intended to be discouraging, Draper was able to get the position, and as a result, he was able to secure his foot on a ladder that would provide him with a privileged view of the political operation that would eventually become Tony Blair’s New Labour government.
In the bars at Westminster, in the dining rooms of Pall Mall, and among the cushioned comforts of the plusher Soho clubs, Draper was one of the most familiar figures behind the scenes at the interface between journalism and politics. He passed away at the age of 56 after a long period of suffering from the effects of Covid.
Draper had been a part of the scene for just over a decade. As a result of his hubris, however, his seemingly idyllic job as a key adviser and later, beginning in 1996, as a political lobbyist turned out to be something that more closely resembled a cautionary tale.
At the time, Draper was a character that was larger than life; he was amusing and unexpected, but he had an unstoppable feeling of his own significance. He had a well-documented and lively private life, drove a vintage Mercedes, and amassed a wealth. His private life was also very colourful.
But a boastful reference to his political influence, which appeared in an exposé published in the Observer newspaper in 1998, suggested that certain lobbyists close to Labour were offering access and valuable market intelligence about government policy to their clients.
This immediately cost Draper his job as director of a lobbying company, as well as his part-time employment as a newspaper columnist on the Daily Express, and it also cost him his public reputation.
