Griff Rhys Jones Clashes with Boris Johnson's Ex-Adviser: Inside the Heated Liverpool Street Feud

A heated controversy has erupted between comedian and heritage advocate Griff Rhys Jones and a former senior adviser to Boris Johnson, Alex Crowley, over the contentious redevelopment of London’s historic Liverpool Street Station. At the center of the dispute is Network Rail, the public body responsible for Britain's railway infrastructure, which is accused of orchestrating a misleading campaign to secure approval for the £1 billion project.

Rhys Jones, who serves as president of the Victorian Society and leads the Liverpool Street Station Campaign, has been a vocal critic of the proposed revamp. He describes the development as a "monster parasite" that will irreversibly damage one of London’s most significant architectural landmarks. His concerns are shared by many preservationists who argue that the station’s Victorian-era design must be protected rather than overshadowed by modern construction.

Network Rail, however, maintains that the redevelopment is essential to "future-proof the station for decades to come." The organization insists the plan will create an "accessible, inclusive, world-class multi-modal transport gateway" while preserving the site’s historic character.

The conflict intensified when Rhys Jones uncovered what he calls a “dirty tricks” strategy orchestrated by Shared Voice, a lobbying firm co-founded by Alex Crowley, a former close aide to Boris Johnson during both his tenure as Prime Minister and Mayor of London. According to Rhys Jones, Shared Voice engaged in deceptive practices by manipulating public feedback and soliciting support from individuals and entities with direct ties to the project.

Evidence emerged showing that several comments submitted in favor of the redevelopment on the City of London Corporation’s planning portal were authored by employees of Acme, the lead architectural firm behind the project. For instance, Monica Capitanio, a senior architect at Acme, used her work email to praise the scheme, calling it a "thoughtful scheme that enhances essential infrastructure." Another colleague echoed similar sentiments, stating the plans would bring "a lot of amazing improvements."

Additionally, endorsements came from GIA, a surveying firm collaborating with Network Rail, raising further questions about the impartiality of the consultation process.

Further scrutiny revealed that Network Rail had paid Shared Voice more than £200,000 this year to manage the campaign promoting the redevelopment. The lobbying firm operates a promotional website titled “It’s Time for Liverpool Street,” where members of the public could submit comments. However, some submissions were allegedly misrepresented.

Sandra Downer, a 61-year-old commuter from Colchester, discovered that her neutral comment — “I use this station frequently” — was used as an endorsement of the project without her consent. Even more alarming, her full name and home postcode were published online. After contacting Shared Voice, Downer demanded the removal of her details, which the firm eventually complied with.

Shared Voice defended its actions, claiming Downer had explicitly agreed to share her personal information and comments when completing a “Register your support” form.

Rhys Jones condemned the tactics employed by Network Rail and Shared Voice as “pathetic” and “preposterous.” He accused the rail operator of misusing public funds to transform complaints about poor station conditions into manufactured letters of support for a development he views as unnecessary and damaging.

“This reflects badly on Network Rail,” he said. “Will they really stop at nothing to get their scheme accepted? It’s time to call this out.”

In response, Network Rail acknowledged that a few statements of support originated from project staff or affiliated teams but argued that excluding these voices would undermine democratic participation. The organization also pointed out that it received over 100 templated responses from the Victorian Society opposing the redevelopment.

Despite the backlash, Network Rail insists its consultation process has been open, honest, and transparent, with hundreds of members of the public expressing both support and concern for the transformation of Liverpool Street Station.