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Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson (UK)

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Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson
Royal Arms as used by His Majesty's Government
Prime Minister's Office
AppointerPrime minister
Websitewww.number10.gov.uk

The prime minister's official spokesperson or alternatively prime minister's official spokesman/spokeswoman is a position in the United Kingdom's Civil Service, located in the Prime Minister's Office in 10 Downing Street and used by the British prime minister to convey information to the public. The prime minister's official spokesperson usually addresses a small group of press and media correspondents, known as lobby correspondents, each morning to deliver statements on current events on behalf of the prime minister.

James Slack was appointed as the prime minister's official spokesperson on 10 February 2017.[1] He remained in the post after Boris Johnson took over the government on 24 July 2019.[2] In December 2020 it was announced that at the beginning of 2021 Slack would succeed Lee Cain as the Downing Street director of communications, it was subsequently announced on 9 February 2021 that Max Blain had been appointed as the prime minister's official spokesperson and would start in the post in April 2021.[3]

List of prime minister's spokespeople

[edit]
Spokesperson Years Prime Minister
Alastair Campbell[4] 1997–2001 Tony Blair
Godric Smith[5] 2001–2004
Tom Kelly[6] 2004–2007
Michael Ellam[7][8] 2007–2009 Gordon Brown
Simon Lewis[9] 2009–2010
Steve Field[10][11] 2010–2012 David Cameron
Jean-Christophe Gray[12] 2012–2015
Helen Bower[13] 2015–2016
2016–2017 Theresa May
James Slack[1] 2017–2019
2019–2021 Boris Johnson
Jamie Davies (Acting) 2021
Max Blain[3] 2021–2022
2022 Liz Truss
2022–2023 Rishi Sunak
David Pares[14] 2023–2024 Rishi Sunak
2024–present[15] Keir Starmer

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson appointed: James Slack". Gov.uk. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  2. ^ "New U.K. Prime Minister Johnson Faces Same Old Brexit Problems". Bloomberg.com. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019. Johnson's spokesman, James Slack, suggested there's little point to talks unless the EU accepts that position [...]
  3. ^ a b "Max Blain will be the new Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson". GOV.UK. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Alastair Campbell quits". BBC News. 29 August 2003. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  5. ^ Hellen, Nicholas (1 September 2013). "BBC open to cronyism charge after hiring Blair spin doctor". The Times. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  6. ^ Tilley, Jonathan (7 March 2014). "Newsmaker: Former Blair spokesman Tom Kelly tasked with keeping HS2 on track". PR Week. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  7. ^ "Ellam to be Downing St spokesman". BBC News. 31 May 2007. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  8. ^ Jones, George (7 June 2007). "Brown brings civil servants back to the heart". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  9. ^ Rogers, Danny (21 June 2009). "PR pro joins Brown's team". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  10. ^ Curtis, Polly (11 May 2010). "David Cameron appoints civil servant Steve Field as No 10 spokesman". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  11. ^ "New Prime Minister's Official Spokesman announced". gov.uk. 31 October 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  12. ^ Owens, John (21 October 2012). "Prime Minister picks Jean-Christophe Gray and Susie Squire for top comms roles". PR Week. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  13. ^ "New Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson announced". gov.uk. 29 May 2015.
  14. ^ Holt, Siobhan (19 December 2023). "Portland hires Downing Street adviser". PR Week. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  15. ^ "David Pares - Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson". Linkedin. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
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