James Chapman
James Chapman is the director of communications to chancellor of the exchequer and first secretary of state George Osborne. Chapman is a former political editor at the Daily Mail.
Career
After completing his A-Levels, Chapman started his career as a general news reported for the Southern Daily Echo and completed a two year training scheme run by Southern Newspapers.
Chapman then went on to attend the University of Oxford from 1996 to 1999, before starting at the Daily Mail. At the newspaper, Chapman has held roles including news reporter, science and environment correspondent, he joined the political team in 2003, was promoted to deputy political editor in 2005 and political editor in 2009. As political editor he has attended daily lobby briefings in Downing Street and joining the Prime Minister on foreign trips.[1]
In 2013 Chapman rejected the chance to become David Cameron's press secretary and his number two under director of communications Craig Oliver.
In May 2015, after the general election, Chapman was appointed director of communications to George Osborne in his roles as both chancellor and first secretary of state. It is believed Osborne was keen to hire a 'Fleet Street heavy hitter' as he is likely to take charge of the EU referendum campaign.[2]
Notes
- ↑ Journalism James Chapman promoted to political editor at Daily Mail, 27 March 2009, accessed 18 May 2015.
- ↑ James Forsyth George Osborne poaches Daily Mail’s political editor Spectator, 16 May 2015, accessed 18 May 2015.
