Tories turn to Linkedin to recruit £100k host of White House-style briefings
Boris Johnson has launched a search for a new £100,000-a-year spokesperson to front Downing Street’s press briefings, as the Prime Minister looks to step back from the limelight.
The Conservatives posted the vacancy on their Linkedin page this morning, describing it as a “unique opportunity” to work at the heart of the political circuit.
The successful candidate will likely be a well-known figure, and will become a senior presence in Number 10 following the hire.
The recruitment ad asks for “an experienced and confident media operator who would enjoy working on camera and with senior ministers, political advisers, officials and journalists; who would relish the challenge and pace of televised briefings, and who has a strong grasp of foreign and domestic policy issues”.
It added the successful candidate will “become a trusted political adviser to the Prime Minister and member of the senior team at Downing Street, reporting into the Prime Minister’s director of communications”.
“You will represent the government and the Prime Minister to an audience of millions on a daily basis, across the main broadcast channels and social media, and have the chance to influence and shape public opinion,” the vacancy stated.
It had garnered 75 reactions and nine comments by 2pm.
The new role comes after the Prime Minister earlier this month revealed the government was going to “have a go” at the live briefings following significant public interest in Number 10’s daily coronavirus conferences.
“People have liked a more direct, detailed information from the government about what is going on,” said Johnson. “And I think that they’ve actually particularly liked our brilliant scientists and medical advisers, possibly more than the politicians to be frank.”
The government’s daily press briefings were held every day between 16 March until 5 June, when weekend press briefings were scrapped due to low viewing figures. Weekday conferences continued until 23 June.
More than 27.5m people tuned into Boris Johnson’s lockdown announcement on 23 March, surpassing the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony and the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton to become one of the most-watched TV slots of all time in the UK.
The return to daily briefings will see a significant shift to White House-style press conferences and will replace the usual off-camera afternoon lobby briefing.
An area in Number 9 Downing Street is said to be earmarked for the new set-up, which Number 10 is keen to be hosted by a female broadcaster.
Applicants for the job are required to email their CVs “and a statement of suitability” to Lee Cain, Number 10’s director of communications, by 21 August and undergo security clearance.