What next for Number 10 Communications?
Chaired by the BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson, this seminar discussed the role of the Number 10 Director of Communications.
Chaired by the BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson, this seminar discussed the role of the Number 10 Director of Communications, the future of news handling at Number 10 and we will explore lessons from the past with the expertise of those who have worked in the thick of it.
The panel
- Jonathan Powell, Chief of Staff to Prime Minister Tony Blair, 1997 - 2007
- Howell James, Corporate Affairs Director, Barclay's and Permanent Secretary, Government Communications, 2004 - 2008
- Tom Kelly, Director of Communications, Financial Services Authority and Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesperson, 2001 - 2007
The event was chaired by the BBC's Political Editor Nick Robinson.
With the departure of Andy Coulson from Downing Street and the memoirs of Alasdair Campbell on the book shelves, the life of a Number 10 Director of Communications has never been so public.
Now Craig Oliver, former Head of BBC Global News, steps in to the shoes of one of the toughest jobs in PR. Just some of the qualities the commentators say this post requires are:
- spokesperson
- firefighter
- troubleshooter
- strategist
- politician
- the voice of the people.
Reaction
- Benedict Brogan's Telegraph blog: Top tips for Craig Dre
- ePolitix 1832 blog: Communication breakdown
- Polis blog: The message from Number 10: Can Downing Street ever be honest?
- Sue Cameron's Notebook (FT): Bloody times in Number 10
More information
- Topic
- Civil service Ministers
- Keywords
- Government communications
- Department
- Number 10
- Publisher
- Institute for Government