Who are the eight people sitting at Labour’s general election “top table”?

Tomorrow Labour’s General Election campaign goes up a gear as the Labour leader, his office and several senior Labour figures begin working from the party’s Brewers Green HQ on a daily basis. According to Toby Helm in the Observer this morning, the campaign effort will be directed by a “top table” group of senior Labour MPs and advisers who will meet daily and set the strategic direction and priorities of the campaign.

The eight people at those meetings will be:

Ed Miliband – the Labour leader will Chair these daily meetings.

Douglas Alexander – Labour’s Chair of election strategy, Alexander outlined recently the party’s aim to focus on the ground war and member activism. He’s believed to be taking a more strategic role, with day to day operations being in the hands of Lucy Powell

Lucy Powell – Miliband’s former Chief of Staff, Shadow Cabinet Office minister and one of the key figures in the daily operations of the election campaign. Other senior figures in the campaign have praised her hands on approach and her ability to get things done (not least because of her closeness to Miliband).

Harriet Harman – Labour’s Deputy Leader is known to have sought a prominent role on the campaign, and will now receive one. She’s expected to spend time campaigning across the country, as well as taking part in these strategic meetings.

Ed Balls – The Shadow Chancellor was not initially expected to have a hands on role in the campaign, but with financial constraints having an impact on the party’s messaging – and as a senior MP who represents a marginal seat – he’ll now have a key role in the campaign.

Greg Beales – Labour’s director of strategy and planning,  Beales is one of three staff members who will join the five politicians in these daily meetings. Close to Miliband, Beales (who had been talked of as a possible MP in 2015) will be in charge of polling.

Tim Livesey – Miliband’s chief of staff, Livesey is a relatively quiet presence in Miliband’s operation, rather than an always visible micro-manager. Yet he’s known to speak with the authority of the Labour leader, a role he’s expected to take here.

Spencer Livermore – as general election campaign director, Livermore’s task is to pull together the different strands of the party’s campaign into a cohesive whole. Whilst Miliband may be chairing these meetings, it’s likely that Livermore will be the person holding the list of action points that need to be resolved and a clear view of the overall election strategy.

As the party moves towards a “war-room” at Labour HQ, it feels like the party is getting onto an election footing. There are 109 days to go…