Difference between revisions of "UK Government Special Advisers"

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Special advisers are temporary civil servants, exempted from normal civil service impartiality requirements in order to allow them to give political advice to Ministers.<ref>[http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/special_advisers/code/code.aspx Code of Conduct for Special Advisors], Cabinet Office, accessed 21 July 2009.</ref> Since 1997 there have been a number of moves to increase their ability to direct permanent civil servants.<ref>[http://www.civilservant.org.uk/spads.shtml Special Advisers - What are they?], civilservant.org.uk, accessed 21 July 2009.</ref>
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'''Special advisers''' are temporary civil servants, exempted from normal civil service impartiality requirements in order to allow them to give political advice to Ministers.<ref>[http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/special_advisers/code/code.aspx Code of Conduct for Special Advisors], Cabinet Office, accessed 21 July 2009.</ref> Since 1997 there have been a number of moves to increase their ability to direct permanent civil servants.<ref>[http://www.civilservant.org.uk/spads.shtml Special Advisers - What are they?], civilservant.org.uk, accessed 21 July 2009.</ref>
  
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==List of Special advisors - 16 July 2009==
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Whilst there had been Special Advisers employed by Governments in the past, their numbers increased by a huge amount under Tony Blair, rising to a total of 80 in November 2001. Tony Blair had 29, mainly in the new [[Downing Street Policy Directorate]] and his [[Strategic Communications Unit]].
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[[Gordon Brown]] gave the following list of special advisers to Parliament in July 2009:
 
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::Listed below are the names of special advisers in post at 16 July 2009, the special advisers' pay ranges for 2009-10, the number of special advisers in each pay band by Department and the total pay bill cost of special advisers for 2008-09.
 
  
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::All special advisers are appointed under terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract and Code of Conduct for Special Advisers to provide assistance on the full range of their appointing Minister's departmental responsibilities.
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The bill for these Advisers was £4.4 million in 2001, making the average salary nearly £60,000. The total salary bill for Tony Blair's private office was £10.8 million in 1999. The pay of most Advisers is kept secret, but it is known that both [[Alastair Campbell]], Blair's Press Secretary and [[Jonathan Powell]], Downing Street Chief of Staff, were paid more than £120,000.
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Although such Advisers hold a huge amount of power, none of them are elected and very few of their jobs are advertised - they are all political appointees.
  
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::'''Appointing Minister''' Special Adviser in post
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Many former advisers to the Labour Party have moved on to very well-paid jobs with lobbying and PR companies.<ref>[http://www.gmb.org.uk/Shared_ASP_Files/UploadedFiles/5D3DCAA1-15AB-4CF0-B7A5-EB449C165AF2_ListofAdvisersApril2006congressFINAL.pdf Where are they now? The 1997/1998 Special Advisers to the Labour Government], briefing for GMB, April 2006, p.4.</ref> [[Tim Allan]], a former Downing Street Adviser, became Director of Corporate Communications for [[Rupert Murdoch]]'s BSkyB. [[Anji Hunter]], Tony Blair's former 'Gatekeeper' private secretary, took over as director of dommunications at BP on a salary of £200,000,<ref>[http://www.gmb.org.uk/Shared_ASP_Files/UploadedFiles/5D3DCAA1-15AB-4CF0-B7A5-EB449C165AF2_ListofAdvisersApril2006congressFINAL.pdf Where are they now? The 1997/1998 Special Advisers to the Labour Government], briefing for GMB, April 2006, p.5.</ref> and now works as a consultant to the lobbying firm [[Edelman]].
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Like the majority of the Labour Government, most of the Special Advisers have been to Oxford or Cambridge Universities. Several Advisers have been friends with senior Labour Party figures for many years, others are partners of millionaires or bosses and all come from a self-perpetuating middle class elite that thrives on patronage, using it to by-pass the grubby world of democracy and slip into positions of power and influence. When the 2001 election was called, most of the Government's Special Advisers resigned, mainly to work in the election campaign. Most returned to their jobs, although some lost their patron Minister in the June 2001 reshuffle and moved into the private sector. For full details, check out the Former Advisers section.
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Some advisers have now moved on to safe Labour seats, vacated by long-standing MPs who were given peerages to get them out of the way, including [[David Miliband]], [[James Purnell]] and [[Andy Burnham]], all former members of the [[Downing Street Policy Unit]].
  
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::'''The Prime Minister''' [[Greg Beales]] [[Theo Bertram]] [[Nicola Burdett]] [[Nick Butler]] [[Konrad Caulkett]] (p-t) [[Matt Cavanagh]] [[Brendan Cox]] [[Dan Corry]] [[Colin Currie]] (p-t) [[Patrick Diamond]] [[Michael Dugher]] [[Justin Forsyth]] [[Stuart Hudson]] [[Michael Jacobs]] [[Gavin Kelly]] [[Richard Lloyd]] [[Kirsty McNeill]] [[David Muir]] [[Sue Nye]] (p-t) [[Nick Pearce]] [[Lisa Perrin]] [[Wilf Stevenson]] [[Anthony Vigor]] [[Stewart Wood]] [[John Woodcock]]
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See the Resources section for internal links to the relevant pages of the special advisers in each government.
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::'''Minister for Cabinet Office and the Olympics and Paymaster General''' [[Robert Philpot]]
 
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::'''Chief Whip (Commons) and Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury''' [[Gary Follis]] [[Luke Sullivan]]
 
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::'''Chief Whip (Lords)''' [[Ben Coffman]] [[Sue Jackson]]
 
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::'''First Secretary of State, Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and Lord President of the Council''' [[Geoffrey Norris]] [[Patrick Loughran]]
 
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::'''Minister of State (Business)''' [[Matt Cooke]]
 
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::'''Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families''' [[Francine Bates]] [[Alex Belardinelli]]
 
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::'''Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government''' [[Ann Rossiter]] [[Jake Sumner]]
 
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::'''Minister of State (Housing)''' [[Ian Parker]]
 
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::'''Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport''' [[Philip French]] [[Lenny Shallcross]]
 
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::'''Secretary of State for Defence''' [[Alaina Macdonald]] [[Andrew Bagnall]]
 
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::'''Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change''' [[Polly Billington]] [[Tom Restrick]]
 
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::'''Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs''' [[Wesley Ball]] [[Beatrice Stern]]
 
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::'''Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs''' [[Madlin Sadler]]/[[Sarah Schaefer]] (job share)
 
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::'''Secretary of State for Health''' [[Katie Myler]]
 
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::'''Secretary of State for the Home Department''' [[Clare Montagu]] [[Mario Dunn]]
 
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::'''Leader of the House of Commons, Lord Privy Seal and Minister for Women and Equality''' [[Ayesha Hazarika]] [[Anna Healy]]
 
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::'''Leader of the House of Lords, and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster''' [[Philip Bassett]] [[Jonathan Pearse]]
 
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::'''Secretary of State for International Development''' [[Richard Darlington]] [[Stephen Doughty]]
 
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::'''Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice''' [[Mark Davies]] [[Declan McHugh]]
 
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::'''Secretary of State for Northern Ireland''' [[Oonagh Blackman]]
 
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::'''Secretary of State for Scotland''' [[John McTeman]] [[Tom Greatrex]]
 
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::'''Secretary of State for Transport''' [[Claire MacAleese]] [[David Learn]]
 
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::'''Chancellor of the Exchequer''' [[Sam White]] [[Catherine McCleod]]
 
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::'''Chief Secretary''' [[Tony Danker]] [[David Mills]] [[Graham Dale]]
 
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::'''Secretary of State for Wales''' [[Andrew Bold]] [[Dan Lodge]]
 
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::'''Secretary of State for Work and Pensions''' [[Will McDonald]] [[Eleanor Wilcox]]
 
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::(1) In addition, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has appointed [[Torsten Henricson-Bell]] and [[Geoffrey Spence]] to the Council of Economic Advisers.<ref>[http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wms/?id=2009-07-16a.73WS.0&s=special+advisers Special Advisers - Prime Minister - Written answers and statements, 16 July 2009], They Work For You.com, accessed 20 July 2009.</ref>
 
  
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==External Resources==
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==Resources==
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*Wikipedia [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_advisers_in_the_United_Kingdom Special Advisers in the United Kingdom]
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===Special Advisers by government===
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*[http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/briefings/snpc-03813.pdf Special advisers] - House of Commons Library research note SN/PC/03813, Oonagh Gay, Last updated 16 April 2009.
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*[[UK Government Special Advisers 2010-2015]]
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*[http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/special_advisers/code/code.aspx Code of Conduct for Special Advisors], Cabinet Office, accessed 21 July 2009.
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*[[UK Government Special Advisers 2005-2010]]
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*[http://www.civilservant.org.uk/spads.shtml Special Advisers - What are they?], civilservant.org.uk, accessed 21 July 2009.  
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*[[UK Government Special Advisers 2001-2005]]
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*[[UK Government Special Advisers 1997-2001]]
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*[[UK Government Special Advisers 1992-1997]]
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*[[UK Government Special Advisers 1987-1992]]
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*[[UK Government Special Advisers 1983-1987]]
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*[[UK Government Special Advisers 1979-1983]]
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===Special Advisers by year===
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*[[UK Government Special Advisers 2016 Conservatives]]
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*[[UK Government Special Advisers 2014 Conservatives]]
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*[[UK Government Special Advisers 2010 Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition]]
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*[[UK Government Special Advisers 2009 Labour]]
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*[[UK Government Special Advisers 2002 Labour]]
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*[[UK Government Special Advisers 1997 Labour]]
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===External resources===
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*[http://download.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/special-advisers/code-of-conduct.pdf Code of Conduct for Special Advisers] accessed 12.09.10
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*[http://download.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/special-advisers/model-contract.pdf Model Contract for Special Advisers] accessed 12.09.10
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*[http://www.scribd.com/doc/37220673/5D3DCAA1-15AB-4CF0-B7A5-EB449C165AF2-List-of-Advisers-April-2006-Congress-Final 2006 GMB report:  Where are they now? The 1997/1998 Special Advisers to the Labour Government]
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*[http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/briefings/snpc-03813.pdf Special advisers: House of Commons Library research note SN/PC/03813]
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*[http://www.civilservant.org.uk/spads.shtml Special Advisers - What are they?]
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*[https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/253081/SPAD_list_Live_UPDATE.pdf SPECIAL ADVISERS IN POST ON FRIDAY 25 OCTOBER 2013]
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*[http://www.powerbase.info/images/7/79/SpAd_List-1-.pdf Special Advisers at 10 June 2010]
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*[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090716/wmstext/90716m0008.htm Special Advisers at 16 July 2009]
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*[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080722/wmstext/80722m0004.htm#80722m0004.htm_dpthd0 Special Advisers at 22 July 2008]
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*[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm071122/wmstext/71122m0002.htm#71122m0002.htm_dpthd5 Special Advisers at 22 November 2007]
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*[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo060724/wmstext/60724m0169.htm#0607246000054 Special Advisers at 24 July 2006]  
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*[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200506/cmhansrd/vo050721/wmstext/50721m12.htm#50721m12.html_sbhd3 Special Advisers at 21 July 2005]
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*[http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200304/ldhansrd/vo040722/text/40722-24.htm#40722-24_head4 Special Advisers at 19 July 2004]
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
  
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[[Category:UK Civil Service]]
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[[Category:UK Civil Service]][[Category:Special Advisers]]

Latest revision as of 15:18, 9 January 2017

Special advisers are temporary civil servants, exempted from normal civil service impartiality requirements in order to allow them to give political advice to Ministers.[1] Since 1997 there have been a number of moves to increase their ability to direct permanent civil servants.[2]

Whilst there had been Special Advisers employed by Governments in the past, their numbers increased by a huge amount under Tony Blair, rising to a total of 80 in November 2001. Tony Blair had 29, mainly in the new Downing Street Policy Directorate and his Strategic Communications Unit.

The bill for these Advisers was £4.4 million in 2001, making the average salary nearly £60,000. The total salary bill for Tony Blair's private office was £10.8 million in 1999. The pay of most Advisers is kept secret, but it is known that both Alastair Campbell, Blair's Press Secretary and Jonathan Powell, Downing Street Chief of Staff, were paid more than £120,000.

Although such Advisers hold a huge amount of power, none of them are elected and very few of their jobs are advertised - they are all political appointees.

Many former advisers to the Labour Party have moved on to very well-paid jobs with lobbying and PR companies.[3] Tim Allan, a former Downing Street Adviser, became Director of Corporate Communications for Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB. Anji Hunter, Tony Blair's former 'Gatekeeper' private secretary, took over as director of dommunications at BP on a salary of £200,000,[4] and now works as a consultant to the lobbying firm Edelman.

Like the majority of the Labour Government, most of the Special Advisers have been to Oxford or Cambridge Universities. Several Advisers have been friends with senior Labour Party figures for many years, others are partners of millionaires or bosses and all come from a self-perpetuating middle class elite that thrives on patronage, using it to by-pass the grubby world of democracy and slip into positions of power and influence. When the 2001 election was called, most of the Government's Special Advisers resigned, mainly to work in the election campaign. Most returned to their jobs, although some lost their patron Minister in the June 2001 reshuffle and moved into the private sector. For full details, check out the Former Advisers section.

Some advisers have now moved on to safe Labour seats, vacated by long-standing MPs who were given peerages to get them out of the way, including David Miliband, James Purnell and Andy Burnham, all former members of the Downing Street Policy Unit.

See the Resources section for internal links to the relevant pages of the special advisers in each government.

Resources

Special Advisers by government

Special Advisers by year

External resources

Notes

  1. ↑ Code of Conduct for Special Advisors, Cabinet Office, accessed 21 July 2009.
  2. ↑ Special Advisers - What are they?, civilservant.org.uk, accessed 21 July 2009.
  3. ↑ Where are they now? The 1997/1998 Special Advisers to the Labour Government, briefing for GMB, April 2006, p.4.
  4. ↑ Where are they now? The 1997/1998 Special Advisers to the Labour Government, briefing for GMB, April 2006, p.5.
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