Special advisers
Special advisers support ministers, represent their views to civil servants and journalists, and help them get things done in government.
Special advisers’ code of conduct
The special advisers’ code of conduct sets out the rules and standards of conduct that special advisers to UK government ministers must abide by.
Special advisers and the Johnson government
How Boris Johnson's changes to the role of special advisers disempowered ministers and undermined the quality of decision making in government.
Read the report
Our events
What makes a successful special adviser?
An expert panel featuring Sonia Khan and Baroness Sally Morgan considered what skills are needed to be an effective special adviser.
Where next for special advisers?
Dominic Cummings’s departure from Downing Street gives the government an opportunity to reassess how it uses special advisers.
The scrutiny of special advisers
Special advisers play an essential role throughout government. But is their role about to change?
Special advisers in government
Baroness Simone Finn, John McTernan and Salma Shah joined us to discuss the role of special advisers and how it is changing.
Support for special advisers
The IfG Academy can help new and potential future special advisers understand how government works, what ministers want from their teams and how they can get the best out of the officials in their departments.
Find out more