John McTernan

John McTernan (born Edinburgh) was appointed Director of Communications for Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard in November 2011.

Blair spin doctor

McTernan was former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's director of political operations at 10 Downing Street from 2005-07. He provided political management and support for the development of the Government's political strategy. The Labour Party paid his salary.

Serial special adviser

In 2002 McTernan had already completed two terms as special adviser to New Labour:

My view: John McTernan John McTernan has just finished his second period as a special adviser, working initially for Harriet Harman in the Department of Social Security, then as head of strategy for Scotland's former first minister, Henry McLeish.'It's an extremely rich experience,' he says. 'You get unparalleled access to government at the highest levels. If you like politics - and most of the people who become advisers are complete addicts - this is the ultimate job. It's like The West Wing, only you're in it instead of watching it.

'It's incredibly insecure, but so are the careers of senior politicians. There's not enough done by the civil service to support special advisers when they leave - you get three months' redundancy, that's all. You wouldn't do it if you were at all risk-averse.'(Jill Insley 'Spin doctors' The Observer Sunday March 31, 2002).

Blair's man in Scotland

McTernan was seconded to the Scottish Labour Party to run its campaign for the Scottish Parliament general election on 3 May, 2007."Honours probe quiz for No 10 aide", BBC News Scotland, 24 January 2007; "Blair aide sent to stem SNP tide", The Scotsman, 16 January 2007; "Now Holyrood election chief quizzed in peerages inquiry", The Scotsman, 24 January 2007

Controversy

In late 2006, it was reported that McTernan had been interviewed under police caution <ref> PM's aide interviewed in peerage inquiry under Scotland Yard's ongoing cash for peerages inquiry. McTernan denied these reports (SNP Welcome Downing Street's McTernan to Scotland http://5thnovember.blogspot.com/2007/01/snp-welcome-downing-streets-mcternan.html#c1168448187652221.

However, he was questioned 'under caution' by police in January 2007.Mirror.co.uk, 23 January 2007

External links

• Wikipedia, Cash for peerages