Spads under Starmer: How can Labour’s special advisers do the job well?

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Special advisers are a vital part of the glue that helps make government work effectively, and since July 2024 more than 100 spads have been appointed by Keir Starmer and his ministers. As well as experiencing the day-to-day challenges that come with one of the most intense jobs in Westminster, the new cohort has also faced ministerial churn, parliamentary rebellion and a change of No.10 chiefs of staff.

So how can special advisers be most effective in government? What are the challenges they face, and how can they deal with them? And how is the current cohort of spads faring in their difficult, and misunderstood, roles?  

To discuss how the spads of today (and tomorrow) can do the job well we were joined by:

• Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall Editor at the Sunday Times and co-author of Get In: The Inside Story of Labour Under Starmer
• Salma Shah, Special Adviser to Sajid Javid (2014–19)
• Sam White, Special Adviser to Alistair Darling (2004–10) and Chief of Staff to Keir Starmer (2021–22); Chair of Foundations: the national what works centre for children and families

The event was chaired by Tim Durrant, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.