Jonny Oates

This article is part of the Revolving Door project of Spinwatch.

Jonny Oates is Chief of Staff to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

Background

From 2007, Oates was director for policy and communications for the Liberal Democrats, leaving in 2008 to join lobbying firm Bell Pottinger as a strategic media director. In November 2009, Oates returned to the party only one year after leaving. On his return, he joined the campaign team as director of general election communications; reporting to Chris Fox (who earlier replaced Oates). Discussing his return, Oates stated:

Nick asked me if I would like to go back. When I left I always regretted I hadn't been there for an election. Peter Bingle [Oates' boss at Bell Pottinger] is a political junkie himself and he completely understands my decision.

Of Oates' return to the Liberal Democrats, Peter Bingle, Public Affairs Chairman for Bell Pottinger, remarked:

I regard Jonny as the best strategic communications professional in the business. He has been a friend and colleague for many years. I understand why the lure of returning to front-line politics was too strong. Our loss is Nick Clegg's gain.

Oates added that his plan was to stay until two months after the election, and while he had not yet discussed the possibility of returning to Bell Pottinger, the party was "intending it to be a very successful election campaign, so opportunities may open up in that regard".

In 2010, opportunities did, indeed, "open up". Oates was appointed deputy communications adviser to the Prime Minister David Cameron - making him the highest paid Liberal Democrat adviser in Downing Street, collecting a salary of £98,500. In a later rearrangement of Clegg's office, Oates became one of the Liberal Democrats in No 10 "coming over to boost Clegg's firepower", and was moved from deputy director of communications at No 10 to be Clegg's Chief of Staff. The position of Chief of Staff was created amid concerns that the Liberal Democrats have too few ministers and special advisers.