Guido hears Number 10 Chief of Staff Liam Booth-Smith took the gloves off last night at “SpAd school” – the weekly get together for the political operatives who lubricate Whitehall’s processes. According to Guido’s moles, Booth-Smith gave the team a stern lecture over their attitude towards the next election, with any pessimists told if they “don’t believe we can win” then they should resign now and get it over with. He went so far as to say he’d even help quitters find a new job if they’re honest enough to throw in the towel now. His promise that any SpAds who lost their jobs in future reshuffles would be looked after – suggesting that more will go – did not go down well in the room. Multiple sources say it was the most “honest” and frank they’d ever seen him. The Liam Booth-Smith Job Centre Plus is now open in Downing Street…

Guido reported yesterday on the underlying tensions within Number 10, with Liam Booth-Smith said to be shoring up his position with new hires like his friend Jamie Njoku-Goodwin. Last night’s Cummings-esque tough talk at SpAd school was clearly a wake-up call for demoralised SpAds after a wasted summer recess. Perhaps the beatings will continue until morale improves.

The upcoming government ‘reset’, with a wider (much-delayed) reshuffle before the King’s Speech, is part of the coming turnaround plan. The reality is that this morning another poll confirmed the Tories are trailing Labour by 20 points, and brought news that house prices fell 5.3% last month. According to pollsters Techne, confidence in the government’s ability to deal with the country’s priorities over the next 12 months has fallen over the summer. It now stands at net minus 17. The clock is ticking…

Below the ministerial reshuffle headlines today are important appointments by the PM to Number 10. The good news is that Downing Street has decided it needs direction to its strategy. The summer recess, after all, delivered new records of channel migrants during ‘stop the boats’ week – and not much else. The much promised ‘gloves off’ moment against Starmer is yet to appear…

The interesting news is that the strategy (which really means the run up to the election) will be directed by music industry lobbyist and former Matt Hancock aide Jamie Njoku-Goodwin. A friendly figure in SW1, Jamie is a popular spinner most at home feeding the daily and Sunday Lobby hack pack. This is a different job description to a political strategist. Whispers emerge from No. 10 that Jamie’s close relationship with the Lobby has very much put the current Director of Communications Amber de Botton’s nose out of joint. Under pressure in the polls, the internal tensions of an under-performing Number 10 are beginning to break out into the open.

Jamie Njoku-Goodwin is also an ally of Liam Booth-Smith – for ally, read ‘former housemate’. Chatter in the building is that this appointment shows the PM’s Chief of Staff shoring up his position by bringing in a friend, given recent ructions with other senior advisers over the government’s woeful performance since taking – seizing – the reins almost a year ago. Having a ‘director of strategy’ in post will be very useful for those seeking to avoid any blame game following an election defeat. Liam Booth-Smith thinks James Forsyth is not an objective adviser to his best friend the PM, and Jamie will be a useful counterweight voice. Contrariwise, Forsyth has got it in for Liam, whom he thinks is sub-par. 

The appointment will also propel forward Jamie’s search for a safe seat, having been careful to keep it quiet from the music industry that he was on the Tory approved candidates list. Jamie is a genuine chess maestro and has in the past successfully relieved Guido of a few quid from the other side of the board with ease. Any move for a safe seat would probably see him of necessity depart the strategic helm in Downing Street well before election day, so his position is likely tactically en passant. The quid-pro-quo for joining play in the endgame.

Adam Atashzai’s time-limited appointment signals the ‘gloves off’ moment is imminent. His is the return to Downing Street of a “wartime consigliere” to the political office. Even admirers of James Forsyth will concede he is more a Tom Hagen than a ruthless Corleone. Atashzai fights politics with knuckle-dusters.

Good luck insiders, SpAds and spinners – you know how to reach us…

Guido’s looking forward to Sky’s retelling of the Brexit Pandemic in This England, the likeness and sets all look pretty good, although it remains to be seen whether director Michael Winterbottom will be able to leave any prejudices at the door. Regardless of the show’s evaluation of Boris’s response to the pandemic, Rishi will certainly be pleased with his portrayal. Actor Shri Patel had the task of portraying the chancellor, seen in the trailer generically saying “Obviously the impact on the economy would be huge”. There’s just one significant discrepancy: 6’1 Patel has been cast to play a man seven inches shorter…

Kevin Branagh’s Boris is closer to reality. Branagh measures in at 5’10 – the same height Boris claims he is, although Guido’s previously done a comprehensive fact check on this, and he’s really around 5’6. Hancock is only three inches out too. Looking at the other casting choices, Guido was particularly amused to see the actor tasked with playing Hancock’s ex-SpAd, Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, has previously appeared in Mission Impossible: Fallout. Jamie is better looking in real life…