Who’s who in Westminster?
Burnham’s team has arrived.
Following Andy Burnham’s appointment as Prime Minister, many key advisers from the Starmer Government have moved on, and whilst some have remained or switched roles, there are a significant number of new faces behind the black door of No. 10 and in the teams shaping policy across Whitehall.
The structure of No. 10 – comprising the Political Office, Communications Department and Policy Unit – remains in place, though many of the personnel have changed.
This directory sets out the key people in the team that will be delivering the Prime Minister’s 10 Year Plan, in what Burnham has described as “a circuit breaker for Britain”.
Special Advisers.
Special Advisers (SpAds) are the political eyes and ears of Ministers. They play a crucial role in supporting Government Ministers by providing politically informed advice and assistance.
Distinct from the permanent Civil Service, they ensure the political impartiality of civil servants is maintained by clearly distinguishing the source of political guidance.
There is currently a review of No. 10’s policy, strategy and delivery functions, with conclusions expected in October. As a result, a number of policy roles are being covered on an interim basis by civil servants and direct ministerial appointments.
The review coincides with the expiry of many temporary contract extensions put in place as the Starmer administration drew to a close, so further personnel changes and a significant reshaping of No. 10’s operation are expected this autumn.
Search by
James Purnell
Chief of Staff
No. 10 – Private Office
Alison Phillips
Deputy Chief of Staff
No. 10 – Private Office
Hayden Munro
Political Director
No. 10 – Political Department
Matthew McGregor
Director of Political Strategy
No. 10 – Political Department
Danny Coyne
Deputy Political Director
No. 10 – Political Department
Harjeet Sahota
Special Adviser (on secondment from DCMS)
No. 10 – Political Department
Luke Sullivan
Special Adviser and Chief of Staff to the Chief Whip
No. 10 – Political Department
Marc Stears
Special Adviser
No. 10 – Political Department
Kate Robson
Director of Local Government and Devolution
No. 10 – Political Department
Cerys Way
Director of Trade Union Relations
No. 10 – Political Department
Sarah Brown
Director of Strategic Communications
No. 10 – Communications Department
Grace Pritchard
Director of News and Prime Minister’s Spokesperson
No. 10 – Communications Department
John Stevens
Press Secretary
No. 10 – Communications Department
Abby Tomlinson
Deputy Director Digital Communications
No. 10 – Communications Department
Callum Masters
Head of Broadcast
No. 10 – Communications Department
Alex Lloyd-Hunter
Adviser – Digital Communications Processes and Strategy
No. 10 – Communications Department
Jason Keen
Head of Briefing
No. 10 – Communications Department
Caroline Simpson
Chief of Staff – No. 10 North
No. 10 North
Amy Davies
Executive Assistant to PM
No. 10 North
Kevin Lee
Special Adviser to the Prime Minister
No. 10 North
JP Spencer
Special Adviser to the Prime Minister
No. 10 North
Tom Whitney
Special Adviser to the Prime Minister
No. 10 North
Kate Groucutt
Special Adviser to the Prime Minister
No. 10 North
Graeme Cooke
Director – No. 10 Policy Unit
No. 10 – Policy Unit
Nathan Yeowell
Devolution, Public Service Reform and Wales
No. 10 – Policy Unit
Varun Chandra
Business & Investment Adviser
No. 10 – Policy Unit
Henna Shah
Special Adviser – Foreign Affairs
No. 10 – Policy Unit
Neil Amin-Smith
Economic Adviser
No. 10 – Policy Unit
Jade Leung
AI Adviser
No. 10 – Policy Unit
Evie Aspinall
Special Adviser
No. 10 – Policy Unit
Emma Norris
Special Adviser
No. 10 – Policy Unit
Parth Patel
Special Adviser
No. 10 – Policy Unit
Will Straw
Chief of Staff
HM Treasury
Daniel Harris
Deputy Chief of Staff
HM Treasury
Tom Hughes
Special Adviser (Strategy)
HM Treasury
Rachel Smethers
Special Adviser (Communications)
HM Treasury
Jess Leigh
Special Adviser
HM Treasury
Adam Scott
PLP & Unions
HM Treasury
Spencer Thompson
Special Adviser
HM Treasury
Shadi Brazell
Domestic Policy
HM Treasury
Alicia Kennedy
Chief of Staff
Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet
Luke Francis
Special Adviser
Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet
Nick Williams
Special Adviser
Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet
Jenny Killin
Special Adviser
Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet
Neil Foster
Special Adviser
Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet
Maria Herron
Special Adviser
Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet
Michael Denoual
Special Adviser
Ministry of Justice
Holly Lynch
Chief of Staff
Ministry of Justice
Lucian Clinch
Special Adviser
Ministry of Justice
Jonty Leibowitz
Special Adviser (Communications)
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Tobias Garnett
Special Adviser (Policy)
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Oliver Nicholson
Special Adviser (Parliamentary)
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
Joe Corry-Roake
Chief of Staff
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra)
Tim Bliss
Special Adviser (Policy)
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra)
Milly Lynch
Special Adviser (Communications)
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra)
David Vickers
Special Adviser (Policy)
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra)
Josh Williams
Special Adviser (Policy)
Home Office
Sophie Linden
Special Adviser (Policy)
Home Office
Poppy Terry
Special Adviser (Policy)
Home Office
Jonathan Heywood
Special Adviser (Policy & Strategy)
Home Office
Will Prescott
Special Adviser (Communications)
Ministry of Defence
Paul Skidmore
Chief of Staff
Ministry of Defence
Damian McBride
Special Adviser
Department of Health and Social Care
Isabel Abbs
Special Adviser
Department of Health and Social Care
Tom Webb
Chief of Staff
Department of Health and Social Care
Tom Gardiner
Special Adviser (Policy)
Department of Health and Social Care
Eve Mason
Special Adviser
Department of Health and Social Care
George Sanderson
Special Adviser (Communications)
Department of Health and Social Care
Carys Roberts
Special Adviser (Policy)
Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
Colm Britchfield
Special Adviser
Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
Alex Donaldson
Special Adviser (Communications)
Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
Cassie Rist
Special Adviser
Department for Energy Security & Net Zero
Jack Glynn
Chief of Staff
Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade
Lidia Fanzo
Special Adviser (Communications)
Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade
Sophia Kewell
Business Engagement
Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade
Joe Knight
Special Adviser (Policy)
Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade
Tom Marsland
PLP Engagement
Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade
Luke Sullivan
Chief of Staff
Government Whips’ Office
Keir Cozens
Special Adviser
Government Whips’ Office
Heather Lafferty
Special Adviser
Government Whips’ Office
Alex Jones
Special Adviser
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Nick Parrott
Chief of Staff
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Sam Khan
Special Adviser
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Ffion Meagher
Special Adviser
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Issy Bull
Special Adviser
Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Phoebe Plomer
Special Adviser (Communications)
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
Claire Tighe
Special Adviser
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
Griffin Mosson
Special Adviser (Policy)
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
Sarah Waite
Special Adviser
Department for Education
Donjeta Miftari
Special Adviser
Department for Education
Georgia Faye Henderson
Special Adviser
Department for Education
Anthony McCaul
Special Adviser
Department for Education
Tamara Cohen
Special Adviser (Communications)
Department for Work and Pensions
Morgan Wild
Special Adviser (Policy)
Department for Work and Pensions
Eve Navias
Special Adviser (Parliament & External Affairs)
Department for Work and Pensions
Alaina MacDonald
Special Adviser (Parliament & External Affairs)
Department for Work and Pensions
James Kilmartin
Special Adviser (Policy)
Department for Work and Pensions
Ryan Denston
Special Adviser
Department for Transport
Eleri Kirkpatrick-Lorente
Special Adviser (Policy)
Department for Transport
Tom Layfield
Special Adviser (Policy)
Department for Transport
Francis Grove-White
Special Adviser
Northern Ireland Office
Adam Small
Special Adviser
Northern Ireland Office
Nicola Bartlett
Special Adviser (Communications)
Northern Ireland Office
Amelia Tighe
Special Adviser
Scotland Office
Emma McNicholas
Special Adviser
Attorney General’s Office
Simon Puddick
Special Adviser
Office of the Leader of the House of Commons
Tim Waters
Special Adviser
Office for Equality and Opportunity
Vicky Salt
Special Adviser
Office for Equality and Opportunity
Tom Blake
Special Adviser to the AI Minister
Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade
Ben Craig
Special Adviser to the AI Minister
Department for Business, Innovation, Science & Trade
Angela Moran
Special Adviser
No. 10 North
Grace Wright
Special Adviser
Office of the Leader of the House of Lords
Ben Coffman
Special Adviser
Office of the Leader of the House of Lords
Ian Parker
Senior Special Adviser
Office of the Leader of the House of Lords
Rosy Roche
Special Adviser
Office for Equality and Opportunity
Ben Fazakerley
Special Adviser
Office for Equality and Opportunity
Sarah Harrison
Special Adviser
Ministry of Defence
Joe Jervis
Special Adviser
Wales Office
Rebecca Morrish
Special Adviser
Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport
Martha O’Neil
Special Adviser
Wales Office
Name
Position
Bio…
We make every effort to keep this guide accurate and up to date. For corrections or updates, please contact us here.