In 2012 Guido predicted that Amber de Botton was “one to watch” when she left her reporting job at the ill-fated Total Politics to go to Sky News. Ten years later the boss of ITV News leaves for Downing Street to become Rishi’s new Director of Communications. A job that will involve her selling the merits of the government after what will have been 14 years in office come the next general election, at a time when it faces horrendous economic challenges. Widely liked, Amber is taking on one helluva job…

She was at one time mooted for the job of fronting a daily televised briefing from Downing Street – mostly by people who didn’t realise she was pregnant at the time. Allegra Stratton eventually got that role before it was abandoned in tears. Amber told Guido around the same time that “there is probably a happier middle ground to be found with on- and off-camera briefings, especially as ‘fake news’/media transparency places more pressure on our industry”. So she seemingly favoured more televised briefings when she was a poacher, will she still now she is a gamekeeper? If anyone has the experience to know how to deal with prima donna Lobby television reporters it is Amber. Could we see the idea modified and revived under her management?