Rishi Sunak’s director of communications, Amber de Botton, has quit her role after less than a year.
Amber de Botton joined Rishi Sunak’s team-Image Source: The Guardian
De Botton, a former ITV journalist, was brought in to salvage the government’s sinking reputation when Sunak took over as prime minister in September 2022.
She provided no explanation for her departure, but paid tribute to Sunak for his support and leadership.
Government sources suggested that the timing of De Botton’s departure was not entirely coincidental. It comes days after a long-serving former government special adviser, Jamie Njoku-Goodwin, was reported to have been lined up as the new No 10 director of strategy.
One insider said the move had put “some noses out of joint”, with De Botton appearing to have been undermined. “She’s not really in the gang,” said another.
Njoku-Goodwin was said to have been brought back into Downing Street by Liam Booth-Smith, who as well as being his friend and former flatmate is also Sunak’s chief of staff.
The previous Downing Street director of communications, Adam Jones, had lasted considerably shorter in the role than De Botton. He took the top job in September 2022, but was cast out along with the rest of the Truss administration when she stood down after just 49 days in office.
Under Truss, the role was split – with Jones helming political communications and a senior civil servant appointed, Simon McGee, to oversee other government communications.
“If you look at how long people have lasted in the role recently, it suggests it’s a nigh on impossible job,” noted one well-placed Westminster observer.
Earlier this week, Booth-Smith is said to have irked some special advisers at their weekly meeting known as “spad school” by suggesting they quit if they had doubts about winning the next election. One of those present characterised his message as: “Step back if you don’t think we can win.”
One senior official said the No 10 political team were blinkered, and “seem to think the whole country is on Rishi’s side”.
Some Tories have poured praise on the government’s attempt to control the narrative this summer with a series of themed weeks pegged to various announcements. However, “small boats week” fell into disarray when migrants housed on the Bibby Stockholm were removed over safety fears just days later.
A former cabinet minister said policies announced over the summer recess had been “incredibly weak”.
Additional Information:
- De Botton’s departure comes at a time when the government is facing increasing scrutiny over its handling of a number of issues, including the cost of living crisis and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
- It also comes just weeks before the Conservative Party conference, where Sunak is expected to face a grilling from party members.
- The government has been criticized for its lack of communication on a number of issues, and De Botton’s departure is likely to add to these concerns.
- It remains to be seen who will replace De Botton, but her departure is a significant blow to Sunak’s team.
