Special adviser (UK)

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A special adviser works in a supporting role to the British government. With media, political or policy expertise, their duty is to assist and advise government ministers. They are often referred to as "SpAd"s. Being a special advisor has become a frequent career stage for young politicians, before being elected Members of Parliament, which has attracted criticism in recent years.

Special advisers are paid by central government and are styled as so-called "temporary civil servants" appointed under Article 3 of the Civil Service Order in Council 1995.^[1] They contrast with "permanent" civil servants in the respect that they are political appointees whose loyalties are claimed by the governing party and often particular ministers with whom they have a close relationship. For this reason, advisers may resign when a general election is called to campaign on behalf of their party.^[2] Special advisers have sometimes been criticised for engaging in advocacy while still on the government payroll or switching directly between lobbying roles and the special adviser role.^[3]

Code of conduct

Advisers are governed by a code of conduct which goes some way to defining their role and delineates relations with the permanent civil service, contact with the media and relationship with the governing party, inter alia:

The rules for their appointment, and status in relation to ministers, are set out in the Ministerial Code.

Former special advisers

Some former special advisers, such as Ed Balls, James Purnell, Ed Miliband and David Miliband, go on to become Members of Parliament or, like Lady Vadera, are given a peerage in order that they may take up a ministerial post. A large number have also gone on to accept lucrative jobs in the private sector. Other famous special advisers include former Director of Communications and Strategy Alastair Campbell and Jo Moore, who was embroiled in scandal while working as adviser to the Secretary of State Transport, Local Government and the Regions Stephen Byers.

Number and cost of special advisers

There is no legal limit on the number of special advisers, although the current total is less than it was under Tony Blair. The government had previously accepted calls, made in 2000 by the Neill Committee on Standards in Public Life, for such a legal cap. By 2002, however, the government had altered its position, saying in response to the Wicks Committee report on standards in public life that "the Government does not believe that the issue of special advisers can be considered as a numerical issue. The issue is about being transparent about accountability, roles and responsibilities and numbers".^[5] At the last full reporting the government had 68 such personnel in its employment, 18 of whom worked in 10 Downing Street.^[6] Special advisers may be paid up to £142,668. Before his resignation Andy Coulson was the highest paid special adviser with a salary of £140,000.^[7] The total cost of special advisers in 2006–07 was £5.9 million.^[6]

Recent special advisers

In fiction

Fiction set within the Westminster village frequently includes characters that are special advisers, such as Frank Weisel in Yes Minister and Glen Cullen in The Thick of It at the ministerial level, and figures like Malcolm Tucker (also of The Thick of It) seen operating at the apex of power, often overriding or manipulating Prime Ministers and other world leaders.

See also

• Special adviser (Norway)

Footnotes

External links

• Special Adviser data releases
• Special Advisers guidance
• Special advisers – House of Commons Library research note SN/PC/03813, Oonagh Gay, Last updated 26 November 2007
• Special Advisers at 16 July 2009 – Written Ministerial Statements, Commons Hansard, UK Parliament
• Special Advisers at 22 July 2008 – Written Ministerial Statements, Commons Hansard, UK Parliament
• Special Advisers at 22 November 2007 – Written Ministerial Statements, Commons Hansard, UK Parliament
• Special Advisers at 24 July 2006 – Written Ministerial Statements, Commons Hansard, UK Parliament
• Special Advisers at 21 July 2005 – Written Ministerial Statements, Commons Hansard, UK Parliament
• Special Advisers at 19 July 2004 – Written Ministerial Statements, Lords Hansard, UK Parliament