Articles

Number of SpAds passes 100 under Boris Johnson

Confirmation of the new ministerial portfolios following last week’s reshuffle reveals switch in ministerial responsibilities for public appointments

Entire ministerial team at the central Whitehall department changes as Theresa May completes wide-ranging government reshuffle

Conservative peer and former education secretary launches House of Lords tirade against “megaspads” and calls for substantial headcount reduction

The former DWP permanent secretary argues for a return to civility in the corridors of power, and offers his tips for preventing the ascendance of overmighty special advisers whose presence crushes open debate and discussion

MPs quiz three departmental chiefs on the role of special advisers – and the impact of briefings against civil servants

Career diplomat David Frost returning to Whitehall to become foreign secretary's Spad

Number 10 says pay rises reflect "change in scale and scope of the range of responsibilities going from coalition to single party government" – as Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party seize on CSW's story

Civil service unions hit out as new CSW analysis shows that many outgoing Number 10 advisers had substantial year-on-year pay rises, as well as enhanced redundancy terms and honours​

New prime minister wants new Spad pay to be capped at £72,000 a year unless signed off by Number 10

 Adviser appointments to be vetted by new prime minister's May’s joint chiefs of staff, Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy

One-month boost to exit packages for all outgoing Spads who were reappointed in 2015 comes as Cabinet Office seeks to reduce civil service redundancy pay – and triggers request for ministerial direction from the department's most senior official, John Manzoni

Lord Maude of Horsham’s request among appointments watchdog’s latest raft of transparency data

Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee chair Bernard Jenkin writes to prime minister David Cameron to complain about social media conduct of adviser Daniel Korski

Exclusive: Committee chair tells CSW inclusion of the word "instructions" gives "new potential for conflict" between Spads and permanent officials – but minister says changes will help departments become more "orderly and organised"

Stereotyped as masters of the dark arts, what role do special advisers really play? As a new crop arrives in Whitehall, Sarah Aston asked some veteran spads to share their war stories

Ben Yong and Robert Hazell's book on special advisers is a 'must read' for ministers,  spads and civil servants, says former cabinet secretary Lord O'Donnell

George Osborne's spad enjoys significant pay rise 

Two of Theresa May's special advisers have been prevented from standing for Parliament because they refused to campaign for the Conservatives in the Rochester and Strood by-election.

The number of special advisers in government has increased from 93 to 103, according to the Cabinet Office

Turnover in private office and policy jobs is robbing ministers of expert support, special advisers told the IfG. Sarah Aston reports

Ministers are poorly placed to ensure that their special advisers do not breach codes of conduct, the chair of the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) suggested yesterday.