About PA Cooperative
Experience, judgement and the right people
PA Cooperative is a public affairs and communications consultancy built around a simple idea: understand what a client wants to achieve, then bring together the experience and expertise to help make it happen.
Founded in Edinburgh in 2013, we work with organisations across the UK on challenges that span politics, policy, communications, reputation and engagement.
Our work has taken us across sectors including rural affairs, education, technology, property, planning, law and religious affairs, and from Scotland to Westminster and across the UK.
A practical approach
Experience matters most when it can be put to useful work.
Our team has worked across politics, media, business and communications. We use that breadth of experience to understand the wider context, ask the right questions and identify an approach that is both ambitious and achievable.
Sometimes the answer is political engagement or policy support. Sometimes it is a media campaign, an event, a film, digital content or a website. Often it is a combination of activities working together.
The starting point remains the same: what do you want to achieve and what will help you get there?
The right expertise for the work
PA Cooperative combines the experience of our core team with a trusted network of specialists.
Over the years we have built relationships with excellent people across video production, photography, digital, events, Westminster and other specialist disciplines. We bring that expertise into client work when it adds value, creating teams around the needs of each project.
This gives our clients the benefit of senior advice alongside specialist delivery, with PA Cooperative providing the continuity and oversight throughout.
Our people
PA Cooperative brings together experienced practitioners and a trusted network of specialists, with skills spanning communications, political engagement, events, creative production and business management.
Rachael Clamp
Chart.PR, FCIPR
Rachael Clamp is a senior communications and engagement specialist with deep experience across public sector, regulated industries and complex stakeholder environments. She has held senior roles at Northrop Grumman, EY and PA Consulting Group, and established her own consultancy in 2019. Rachael leads PA Cooperative’s political engagement work in Westminster.
Neil Cuthbert
Chart.PR
Neil Cuthbert is a public affairs and communications specialist with over 25 years’ experience across government, not-for-profit and private sector clients. He co-founded PA Cooperative in 2013 and became a Chartered PR Practitioner in 2023. His work spans land-based industries, renewable energy, planning and stakeholder engagement. Neil is also an elected councillor on the City of Edinburgh Council, where he serves on the Transport and Environment Committee. Away from work, he enjoys looking after his Labrador Retriever, Moomin, and spending time with his family.
David Lee
David Lee specialises in event hosting, podcast presenting, video production, writing and editing. He worked in daily newspapers for 20 years, set up his own business in 2009 and has worked with PA Cooperative since 2014. He has hosted almost 400 in-person and 200+ online events, including policy conferences, awards ceremonies, seminars and webinars – and around 150 podcasts. David can turn his hand to any subject, from forestry and climate change to legal affairs and data science. He has produced 100+ high-quality documents, including many election manifestos. Away from work, he is a passionate coastal rower and enthusiastic footballer of declining ability.
Ben McLeish
Ben McLeish is a Chartered Accountant and Director of 22Ten Business Advisors, providing Finance Director and financial policy services across the public and private sectors. He has specialised in tertiary education, early years education and public finance governance, and was Assistant Principal (Finance and Resources) at Edinburgh’s Telford College before setting up his own consultancy in 2011. Away from work, Ben is a father of three, and enjoys tennis, football and walking the dog.
Phil Wilkinson
Phil Wilkinson is a highly respected photographer and videographer based in the Scottish Borders. He worked for national newspapers as a staff photographer before setting up his own business (philspix.com). He still has his work published regularly in a variety of publications, and works for numerous commercial clients. Phil has worked with PA Cooperative on around 15 video projects, including these two short films from 2026 – this one (with a successful outcome!) highlighting a ground-breaking rural training course, and this one for forestry company Scottish Woodlands to showcase its work on clearing wind farms.
What makes us different?
Our approach is straightforward, pragmatic and collaborative.
We work closely with our clients, becoming part of the team where that is useful and providing an experienced outside perspective when it is needed. Our Directors work directly with clients, providing continuity from the first conversation through to delivery.
We believe in clear advice, open conversations and recommendations grounded in what can realistically make a difference. Our work is underpinned by strong professional and ethical standards, particularly in the way we approach political engagement, communications and relationships.
Our cooperative structure allows us to work independently and democratically, with a shared focus on delivering value for our clients.
Our Cooperative Principles
Our business operates with co-operative values at the heart of what we do. We strive to stay true to these seven key principles to put these values into practice:
Voluntary and Open Membership
Democratic Member Control
Member Economic Participation
Autonomy and Independence
Education, Training and Information
Co-operation among Co-operatives
Concern for Community
Based in Scotland.
Working across the UK.
Scotland is our home, but our work takes us across the UK.
We work with clients, stakeholders and decision-makers nationally and regularly organise political engagement, meetings and events at Westminster.
Wherever the work takes us, our focus remains the same: understanding what you want to achieve and bringing together the people, thinking and activity to help make it happen..
Bring us the challenge
If you have an objective, opportunity or challenge you would like to talk through, start a conversation with us.
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