David Cameron and Nick Clegg are planning to employ more political special advisers than Gordon Brown, in spite of promising to limit their numbers. Mr Clegg is to recruit six more special advisers to help the Liberal Democrats cope with the pressures of government, increasing the party’s firepower in Whitehall.
But the decision means that the coalition government will now employ some 80 special advisers – based on the latest data – compared with the 78 employed by Gordon Brown’s administration.
“No doubt we will get a bit of flak about this but I think it will genuinely make for better government,” said one ally of Mr Clegg. The coalition agreement spoke of limiting the number of so-called “Spads”.
Mr Clegg has argued – with backing from organisations like the Institute for Government – that he needs more support to carry out his functions as deputy prime minister.
Liberal Democrats will have a new special adviser covering the House of Lords and five more special advisers covering the work of government departments where the party has no ministerial support.
Mr Clegg argues that special advisers are vital to help forge policy and to make decisions in the unusually political environment of coalition government, where Lib Dems and Tories have to reconcile party positions.
The additional cost to the taxpayer of employing the new staff will depend on who is recruited: special adviser salaries are based on the salary earned by an individual before joining the government.
Jim Pickard
Kiran Stacey
