Chief of Staff (United Kingdom)
Encyclopedia
The Downing Street Chief of Staff is the highest ranking member of the Office of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, a senior aide to the Prime Minister
and a powerful, non-ministerial position within the British Government. The Chief of Staff has been referred to as "almost certainly the most powerful unelected official in the country", and possibly "the third most powerful altogether" after the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer
. The current Downing Street Chief of Staff is Edward Llewellyn
.
upon his becoming Prime Minister in 1997.
The Chief of Staff is an appointed special advisor
or a career civil servant who is personally and politically close to the Prime Minister. The responsibilities of the post have varied according to the wishes of the sitting Prime Minister, however the nature of it as a post at the centre of the Downing Street operation ensures it is an influential one closely involved in government policy formulation and implementation, political strategy and communication, and generally advising the Prime Minister.
In 1997 Tony Blair
gave his Chief of Staff, a special advisor, 'unprecedented powers' to issue orders to civil servants. Previously the Cabinet Secretary
had been the most senior non-ministerial figure in the British Government, and along with the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
had supported the Prime Minister in the running of 10 Downing Street: This relationship between the three posts was the basis for the BBC television series Yes, Prime Minister. Under Blair the Chief of Staff supplanted the PPS in running Downing Street operations and weakened the power of the cabinet secretary to co-ordinate government policy.
Although the Cabinet Secretary continued to be a highly important role, in its capacity as Head of the Home Civil Service, it remained responsible for making sure that the Civil Service was organised effectively capable of delivering the Government's objectives, meaning that the Chief of Staff replaced the Cabinet Secretary as the right-hand man for the Prime Minister. "Powell had been at the epicentre of power. As Tony Blair's Chief of Staff, he was the ultimate fixer, the Prime Minister's first line of defence against events, baby-catcher in chief. When things went wrong, people called Powell."
When Jonathan Powell stood down as Chief of Staff at the end of the Blair premiership in June 2007, incoming Prime Minister Gordon Brown temporarily appointed civil servant Tom Scholar
as both Chief of Staff and Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
. This was again altered upon Scholar's scheduled departure in January 2008, when the title Chief of Staff was divided amongst two posts in an attempt to split the political policy communication role from the management of civil servants within Number 10
. Senior civil service Permanent Secretary Jeremy Heywood
replaced Scholar as Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, and was identified by the BBC as having effectively been appointed the new Downing Street Chief of Staff. In truth, however, Stephen Carter shared this role, being appointed as a special advisor with the title Chief of Strategy and Principal Advisor to the Prime Minister, effectively to serve as Chief of Staff.
After less than a year in the post, Carter was appointed as a Minister and given a peerage in the House of Lords, amid speculation that the changes had resulted in his share of the Chief of Staff role having insufficient authority to direct cross-government operations. Heywood continued in his post, now as the sole Chief of Staff, for the remainder of the Brown premiership. As is the practice in the politically neutral British civil service, the 2010 change of government did not require his being replaced, enabling him to become the Principal Private Secretary to Brown's successor as Prime Minister, David Cameron
. However the Chief of Staff role was given to Edward Llewellyn
. Cameron also appointed a Downing Street Deputy Chief of Staff, Kate Fall. Llewellyn had previously served as Chief of Staff to David Cameron throughout his term as Leader of the Opposition
, and with the salaries of both the Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff having been revealed to be greater than that of the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
, Nick Clegg
, so the role is likely to again be the powerful and central one seen under Tony Blair's premiership.
. The roles of the Chief of Staff are both managerial and advisory and can include the following
The nature of the position varies accordingly with each Prime Minister, but the holder is always considered to be one of the most important aides to the Prime Minister, whether or not they take on a "hands-off" or "hands-on" approach to their job.
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
and a powerful, non-ministerial position within the British Government. The Chief of Staff has been referred to as "almost certainly the most powerful unelected official in the country", and possibly "the third most powerful altogether" after the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
. The current Downing Street Chief of Staff is Edward Llewellyn
Edward Llewellyn (Conservative advisor)
Edward Llewellyn is a Conservative Party advisor to its Leader, David Cameron. He was at Eton College at the same time as the Conservative Leader, though not in the same year. Llewellyn left Eton in 1983 and shortly afterwards worked at Conservative Central Office, before going to Oxford where he...
.
History
The position of Downing Street Chief of Staff was created by Tony BlairTony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
upon his becoming Prime Minister in 1997.
The Chief of Staff is an appointed special advisor
Special advisers in the United Kingdom
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.-Role:...
or a career civil servant who is personally and politically close to the Prime Minister. The responsibilities of the post have varied according to the wishes of the sitting Prime Minister, however the nature of it as a post at the centre of the Downing Street operation ensures it is an influential one closely involved in government policy formulation and implementation, political strategy and communication, and generally advising the Prime Minister.
In 1997 Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
gave his Chief of Staff, a special advisor, 'unprecedented powers' to issue orders to civil servants. Previously the Cabinet Secretary
Cabinet Secretary
A Cabinet Secretary is almost always a senior official who provides services and advice to a Cabinet of Ministers. In many countries, the position can have considerably wider functions and powers, including general responsibility for the entire civil service...
had been the most senior non-ministerial figure in the British Government, and along with the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
The Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister is a senior official of the British Civil Service who acts as Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The holder of this office was formerly the head of the Prime Minister's Office, during Tony Blair's...
had supported the Prime Minister in the running of 10 Downing Street: This relationship between the three posts was the basis for the BBC television series Yes, Prime Minister. Under Blair the Chief of Staff supplanted the PPS in running Downing Street operations and weakened the power of the cabinet secretary to co-ordinate government policy.
Although the Cabinet Secretary continued to be a highly important role, in its capacity as Head of the Home Civil Service, it remained responsible for making sure that the Civil Service was organised effectively capable of delivering the Government's objectives, meaning that the Chief of Staff replaced the Cabinet Secretary as the right-hand man for the Prime Minister. "Powell had been at the epicentre of power. As Tony Blair's Chief of Staff, he was the ultimate fixer, the Prime Minister's first line of defence against events, baby-catcher in chief. When things went wrong, people called Powell."
When Jonathan Powell stood down as Chief of Staff at the end of the Blair premiership in June 2007, incoming Prime Minister Gordon Brown temporarily appointed civil servant Tom Scholar
Tom Scholar
Thomas Whinfield Scholar, known commonly as Tom Scholar, is a British Civil Servant who is a director of the nationalised bank, Northern Rock and was previously Chief of Staff for Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street...
as both Chief of Staff and Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister
The Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister is a senior official of the British Civil Service who acts as Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The holder of this office was formerly the head of the Prime Minister's Office, during Tony Blair's...
. This was again altered upon Scholar's scheduled departure in January 2008, when the title Chief of Staff was divided amongst two posts in an attempt to split the political policy communication role from the management of civil servants within Number 10
10 Downing Street
10 Downing Street, colloquially known in the United Kingdom as "Number 10", is the headquarters of Her Majesty's Government and the official residence and office of the First Lord of the Treasury, who is now always the Prime Minister....
. Senior civil service Permanent Secretary Jeremy Heywood
Jeremy Heywood
Jeremy John Heywood CB, CVO is a British civil servant. He is currently Permanent Secretary at Downing Street, having previously served as the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister....
replaced Scholar as Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, and was identified by the BBC as having effectively been appointed the new Downing Street Chief of Staff. In truth, however, Stephen Carter shared this role, being appointed as a special advisor with the title Chief of Strategy and Principal Advisor to the Prime Minister, effectively to serve as Chief of Staff.
After less than a year in the post, Carter was appointed as a Minister and given a peerage in the House of Lords, amid speculation that the changes had resulted in his share of the Chief of Staff role having insufficient authority to direct cross-government operations. Heywood continued in his post, now as the sole Chief of Staff, for the remainder of the Brown premiership. As is the practice in the politically neutral British civil service, the 2010 change of government did not require his being replaced, enabling him to become the Principal Private Secretary to Brown's successor as Prime Minister, David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
. However the Chief of Staff role was given to Edward Llewellyn
Edward Llewellyn (Conservative advisor)
Edward Llewellyn is a Conservative Party advisor to its Leader, David Cameron. He was at Eton College at the same time as the Conservative Leader, though not in the same year. Llewellyn left Eton in 1983 and shortly afterwards worked at Conservative Central Office, before going to Oxford where he...
. Cameron also appointed a Downing Street Deputy Chief of Staff, Kate Fall. Llewellyn had previously served as Chief of Staff to David Cameron throughout his term as Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition
The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest party not in government in a Westminster System of parliamentary government...
, and with the salaries of both the Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff having been revealed to be greater than that of the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a senior member of the Cabinet of the United Kingdom. The office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not a permanent position, existing only at the discretion of the Prime Minister, who may appoint to other offices...
, Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg
Nicholas William Peter "Nick" Clegg is a British Liberal Democrat politician who is currently the Deputy Prime Minister, Lord President of the Council and Minister for Constitutional and Political Reform in the coalition government of which David Cameron is the Prime Minister...
, so the role is likely to again be the powerful and central one seen under Tony Blair's premiership.
Role
The Chief of Staff is listed as having "direct responsibility for leading and co-ordinating operations across Number 10" and reports directly to the Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
. The roles of the Chief of Staff are both managerial and advisory and can include the following
- Select key Downing Street staff and supervise them
- Structure the Downing Street staff system
- Control the flow of people into the Office of the Prime Minister
- Manage the flow of information
- Protect the interests of the Prime Minister
The nature of the position varies accordingly with each Prime Minister, but the holder is always considered to be one of the most important aides to the Prime Minister, whether or not they take on a "hands-off" or "hands-on" approach to their job.
List of Chiefs of Staff
- Jonathan PowellJonathan Powell (chief of staff to Tony Blair)Jonathan Nicholas Powell is a British diplomat who served as the first Downing Street Chief of Staff, under British Prime Minister Tony Blair throughout his premiership, from his election in 1997 until his resignation in 2007...
: 2 May 1997 – 27 June 2007 - Tom ScholarTom ScholarThomas Whinfield Scholar, known commonly as Tom Scholar, is a British Civil Servant who is a director of the nationalised bank, Northern Rock and was previously Chief of Staff for Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street...
: 27 June 2007 – 23 January 2008 - Stephen Carter: 23 January 2008 – 10 October 2008
- Jeremy HeywoodJeremy HeywoodJeremy John Heywood CB, CVO is a British civil servant. He is currently Permanent Secretary at Downing Street, having previously served as the Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister....
: 10 October 2008 – 11 May 2010 - Edward LlewellynEdward Llewellyn (Conservative advisor)Edward Llewellyn is a Conservative Party advisor to its Leader, David Cameron. He was at Eton College at the same time as the Conservative Leader, though not in the same year. Llewellyn left Eton in 1983 and shortly afterwards worked at Conservative Central Office, before going to Oxford where he...
: 11 May 2010 – present