Downing Street Press Secretary


The Downing Street Press Secretary is an advisor to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on news media and how to manage the image of the British government to the press. The position is part of the Prime Minister's Office and involves using information on what is happening in the UK and around the world, to decide on how the Prime Minister should present his or her reaction to the media. The incumbent also advises on how to handle news stories and other information which could affect the current Prime Minister or the Ministry.
The current Press Secretary is Rob Oxley, following Boris Johnson's appointment as Prime Minister on 24 July 2019.

Role

The Press Secretary will address the lobby correspondents at 10 Downing Street to give journalists information on events attended by the Prime Minister, as well as current affairs in Downing Street and in Parliament. The Press Secretary works within the Prime Minister's Office and the Downing Street Press Office.

History

Various political advisers have in the past acted in a press secretary role; Francis Williams, a journalist who had served in the Ministry of Information during the Second World War, served under Clement Attlee, as 'Adviser on Public Relations'. Winston Churchill shunned the role, and did not appoint anyone to the role until several months into his premiership, when he hired Fife Clark. In 1997 Alastair Campbell was appointed by then-Prime Minister Tony Blair. When David Cameron was elected, Gabby Bertin who had previously served as the head of press for the Conservative Party became the Downing Street Press Secretary. She was later replaced by Susie Squire in 2012. In July 2016 when Theresa May became Prime Minister, Lizzie Loudon was appointed as her Press Secretary. Following the resignation of Loudon in April 2017, Paul Harrison took over the role after the general election on 8 June.

List of Press Secretaries

#Press SecretaryYearsPrime Minister
1Francis Williams1945–1947Clement Attlee
2Philip Jordan1947–1951Clement Attlee
3Reginald Bacon1951Clement Attlee
4Fife Clark1952–1955Winston Churchill
5William D. Clark1955–1956Anthony Eden
6Alfred Richardson1956–1957Anthony Eden
7Harold Evans1957–1963Harold Macmillan
8John Groves1963–1964Alec Douglas-Home
9Trevor Lloyd-Hughes1964–1969Harold Wilson
10Joe Haines1969–1970Harold Wilson
11Donald Maitland1970–1973Edward Heath
12Robin Haydon1973–1974Edward Heath
13Joe Haines1974–1976Harold Wilson
14Tom McCaffrey1976–1979James Callaghan
15Henry James1979Margaret Thatcher
16Bernard Ingham1979–1990Margaret Thatcher
17Gus O'Donnell1990–1993John Major
18Christopher Meyer1993–1996John Major
19Jonathan Haslam1996–1997John Major
20Alastair Campbell1997–2001Tony Blair
21Godric Smith2001–2003Tony Blair
22Tom Kelly2001–2003Tony Blair
23Damian McBride2007–2009Gordon Brown
24Gabby Bertin2010–2012David Cameron
25Susie Squire2012–2013David Cameron
26Graeme Wilson2013–2016David Cameron
27Lizzie Loudon2016–2017Theresa May
28Paul Harrison2017–2019Theresa May
29Rob Oxley2019–presentBoris Johnson