Adam Smith
Adam Smith is a lobbyist who was special adviser to the secretary of state for culture, olympics, media and sport Jeremy Hunt[1] until his resignation on 25 April 2012.
In 2013 Smith was hired as head of external communications at Paddy Power.[2]Paddy Power is regulated by the Gambling Commission which is, in turn, controlled by his former employer, the Department of Culture Media and Sport
Breakfast with lobbyists
On 31 August 2011 Smith had breakfast with financial PR and lobbying firm Finsbury and on 21 September 2011 lunched with PR and lobbying firm Pagefield. No information is provided on what was discussed or who attended. [3]
Resignation
On 25 April 2012 Smith resigned from his position as special adviser to culture secretary Jeremy Hunt. His resignation followed the publication of News Corp emails during the Leveson Inquiry which seemed to show that News Corp and the culture department had 'too close a relationship' during the time News Corp was attempting to take full control of BSkyB.[4]
In a statement Smith said:
- 'While it was part of my role to keep News Corporation informed throughout the BSkyB bid process, the content and extent of my contact was done without authorisation from the secretary of state. I do not recognise all of what Fred Michel said, but nonetheless I appreciate that my activities at times went too far and have, taken together, created the perception that News Corporation had too close a relationship with the department, contrary to the clear requirements set out by Jeremy Hunt and the permanent secretary that this needed to be a fair and scrupulous process.
- 'Whilst I firmly believe that the process was in fact conducted scrupulously fairly, as a result of my activities it is only right for me to step down as special adviser to Jeremy Hunt.'[5]
Notes
- ↑ Department of Information Services, "Parliamentary Information List", accessed 07.09.10
- ↑ John OwensPaddy Power hires ex-Jeremy Hunt spad Adam Smith PR Week, 27 September 2013, Accessed 10 September 2014
- ↑ Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Special advisors' meetings with outside interests, 1 Jan - 31 Mar 2011, and 1 July 2011- 30 September 2011, accessed 12 April 2012
- ↑ Patrick Wintour, Dan Sabbagh and Shiv Malik, 'Jeremy Hunt loses special adviser in defence of BSkyB role', The Guardian, 25 April 2012.
- ↑ Patrick Wintour, 'Jeremy Hunt's special adviser Adam Smith quits', The Guardian, 25 April 2012.
