On December 6th Guido reported that Boris’s former SpAd Andrew Gilligan was making a return to government, as Home Office special advisor for crime policy. The hire was tweeted out that day and we received no dissenting correction from No. 10 or any other source. Weeks later, however, he’s nowhere to be seen. What’s happened?
Guido now hears his appointment has in fact been scrapped due to his outspoken opposition to HS2 during his period out of government. Appearing on GB News a month ago, he told viewers:
“I think it’s the biggest infrastructure mistake Britain’s done in at least 50 years, probably more. It’s enormously expensive, it’s taking vast sums of money out of better projects, projects that really could level up the country.”
Gilligan is of course completely right that the money would be better spent on upgrading other buts of the transport infrastructure. As a result of the criticism Guido understands he’s no longer set to join the Home Office. Bad luck Andrew…
N.B: Katie Lam has, however, joined the Home Office and is now on the SpAd list.
