Reports that Olaf Henricson-Bell, the civil servant who led the Downing Street Policy Unit, is leaving his role. Do not ask for whom the bell tolls…
Downing Street is undergoing another shake-up with Olaf Henricson-Bell appointed as the new director of the No 10 Policy Unit. He replaces Ninjeri Pandit and will work alongside Stuart Ingham. He also happens to be the twin brother of Torsten Bell, the former director of left-wing think tank Resolution Foundation turned Labour MP. Double trouble…
Olaf’s previous role as EU Director at the Foreign Office will leave him well-connected with the civil servants now deployed within the “EU surrender unit.” A reminder of his brother’s Torsten’s taxing policy ideas, which include raising capital gains tax on shares to 37%, 53% for real estate, and scrapping the nil-rate band on inheritance tax. Will Bell be a dead ringer for his brother in Number 10?
Starmer said to Robert Peston this afternoon:
“I’m fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down on energy businesses bills go up and down on energy because of the actions of Putin or Trump across the world.”