While Nadine Dorries was an excellent pick for the new DCMS secretary, her SpAd choices are just as interesting. Who else would hire a senior SpAd – in the form of Rob Oxley – who Kevin Maguire reminds us this morning wrote an op-ed in 2012 calling for his now-boss to get the sack for going on I’m A Celebrity?
“What does matter is that Ms Dorries’ constituents should be represented in Parliament by the individual they elect, and pay for…
I’ve outlined before why this is a good idea here, but the I’m a Celebrity debacle reminds us why local residents must have the ability to throw out politicians who fall well short of the standards expected of our elected representatives.”
Nadine is clearly a benevolent and forgiving boss…
Roxley isn’t the only DCMS SpAd who was vocal during Nadine’s I’m A Celebrity! saga. Dorries has hired her long-time parliamentary assistant, William Joce, to join her departmental advisory team. In 2012 Joce appeared on BBC Three Counties Radio to defend his boss, under fire from constituents wanting replies to casework. The exchange was toe-curling:
Jonathan Vernon-Smith: “What do you think of the fact that she’s left you to do her job?”
Joce: “I would certainly not say she’s left me doing her job. I’m doing my job…”
JVS: “So nobody’s doing her job?”
Joce: “I’m… doing… my job…”
JVS: “who’s doing her job?”
Joce: “You’d have to put that to her.”
JVS: “But we can’t put that to her, that’s the point, she’s in the jungle…”
Guido looks forward to approaching Joce for story comments over the next few months…
Before Boris gets underway with his much-anticipated reshuffle, there have been one or two pre-shuffling updates to Guido’s list; with the Sun and Buzzfeed revealing Rob Oxley is moving from No. 10 press to join Dominic Raab as a SpAd at the FCO, and is being replaced by the Mail’s Jack Doyle. It’s a Mail-dominated government…
Guido understands that former Scottish Tory MP Luke Graham is in talks to join Downing Street as an advisor on the Union. Long live the revolving door…
In wonk world, Guido can reveal Annabel Denham is leaving The Entrepreneurs Network to replace Kate Andrews as the IEA’s new Director of Comms. Last year Guido revealed Kate was off to become economics correspondent at the Spectator. Elsewhere, the ASI’s Head of Government Affairs, Charlotte Kude, has been taken on by new red wall Tory MP Jacob Young. As ever, get in touch with any further updates…
After a slew of late night receptions with Tory members, Boris was denied his much needed caffeine hit this morning by his press team – all because it came in the wrong cup. When Number 10 Press Secretary Rob Oxley handed the Prime Minister a cup of coffee, it was swiftly snatched away by events aide Shelley Williams-Walker who scolded him saying “No disposable cups.” Oxley was later spotted buying a KeepCup and a mug at the Tory Party conference shop…
UPDATE: Several hours later…
I got my coffee in the end. pic.twitter.com/F5cDVZHhHA
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) October 1, 2019
Quite a few changes to the SpAd List since our last update. Chris Wilkins is the de facto Downing Street Director of Communications. He was May’s strategy chief and is highly thought of inside Number 10, though he is unknown to the Lobby. His job title – like the job titles of other Number 10 advisers – has been up in the air over the last few weeks. With the Queen’s Speech out of the way confirmation should soon be forthcoming. Bright Bluer James Marshall is the new policy chief, replacing ousted John Godfrey. The Prime Minister’s press secretary since the election has been former Sun man Craig Woodhouse. He is leaving government in the summer as was always the intention – Woodhouse is well-regarded in Westminster and will not be short of offers in the private sector. That means May still needs another press aide.
One Sun man out, another Sun man in. The paper’s head of PR and leader writer Dylan Sharpe was due to join Damian Green before May called the snap election. The move is still on: post-reshuffle Sharpe will be moving with Green to the Cabinet Office.
Michael Fallon has hired Rob Oxley, CCHQ’s head of news during the election, as his new SpAd at the MoD. Oxley used to spin for Priti Patel at DfiD and was one of the main players at Vote Leave during the referendum.
There are at least seven or eight posts to fill at Number 10, Hammond still needs one or two more SpAds and Davis Davis still needs another SpAd, as does Priti. Full list below:
Get in touch with any updates…
