The focus on Liz Truss as next Tory leader has rocketed in recent weeks and she’s been quietly swelling her top team of SpAds behind the scenes to match the scrutiny. Guido can now reveal she has seven advisers working for her, just one short of Rishi’s joint No. 10 & 11 unit, two more than Raab ever had and four more than Jeremy Hunt under May. Alongside her long-time SpAds Sophie Jarvis and Adam Jones – head of media and comms – Jamie Hope joined in April 2021 from the CRD.
Last week Guido learnt that Lord Frost’s advisors – Hugh Bennett and Christopher Jenkins – had formally joined the Truss tent, while still both working for the policy unit and the Attorney General Suella Braverman respectively. Providing a major boost to Truss’s Brexit credentials…
In addition, Liz has taken on two additional SpAds. Reuben Solomon, formerly CCHQ’s head of digital and before that a manager for 4 years at Lynton Crosby’s CTF outfit, potentially helping Liz get on par with Rishi’s notoriously fancy social media graphics. Finally, Sarah Ludlow has joined as her parliamentary SpAd after six years at comms agency Portland, prior to which she was a press advisor at CCHQ and an MP staffer for, among others, Rory Stewart. A source says all this reflects Liz’s big brief, which now of course covers foreign relations, diplomacy, the Commonwealth, foreign aid, Brexit negotiating, Women and equalities… no other reason to beef up her team.
As always, get in touch with future changes here, and you can read the full list of government SpAds below…
Our former news editor, Hugh Bennett, has moved across to Number 10, after six months of working as a special adviser to Jacob Rees-Mogg. He will be working for former Vote Leave colleague Oliver Lewis, in Number 10’s EU negotiations unit – guaranteeing that the UK will be in control of its laws, money, borders, and trade in ten months time. Barnier should watch the video above to understand the new reality of Britain’s negotiating stance. Hugh has a firm grasp of Brexit’s details and a razor sharp mind…
Last the summer, during the Tory leadership campaign, Hugh set out his view for how negotiations should be done. Barnier and civil servants watch out…
Guido can also exclusively reveal that Steph Lis, formerly of DexEU and before that the IEA, has also gone to the EU negotiating unit. Barnier won’t know what has hit him…
Keep up to date with Guido’s rolling SpAd list here…
Guido can confirm that our news editor and resident grammarian, Hugh Bennett, is joining the government as Jacob Rees Mogg’s SpAd. He will be helping the Leader of the House get Brexit through the Commons. His unflappable calmness under pressure will be tested in the coming weeks…
Hugh joined Guido from Brexit Central last year, before that he worked on the Vote Leave campaign, so he is used to working with Dominic Cummings. Many of you will have become familiar with him from his many TV appearances putting the case for Brexit calmly and with an unrivaled grasp of the details. He will be uncompromising in making sure Brexit happens on October 31.
When Hugh was head-hunted to Guido he made it clear that it was his intention to eventually become a SpAd. At the time he was worried that working at Guido might be an obstacle to his ambition. Given he is the third current government SpAd to have toiled in the Guido newsroom, his fears were clearly unfounded…
To keep up with all the latest SpAd hirings and firings check: order-order.com/spads
