James Forsyth
Forsyth in 2012
Political Secretary to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Assumed office
24 December 2022
Prime MinisterRishi Sunak
Preceded bySophie Jarvis
Personal details
Born1981 (age 42–43)
London, England
Spouse
​
(m. 2011)​
[1]
Children2
EducationWinchester College
Alma materJesus College, Cambridge
Known forThe Spectator
The Sun
Mail on Sunday

James Forsyth (born 1981) is a British political aide and former political journalist. After serving as political editor of The Spectator magazine since 2009, he was appointed Political Secretary to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom by Rishi Sunak in 2022.

Early life

Forsyth attended Winchester College and Jesus College, Cambridge.[2][3]

Career

Forsyth joined Foreign Policy magazine as assistant editor[4] before launching Coffee House,[5] The Spectator's political blog, in 2007.[6] He was appointed deputy editor, online, of The Spectator in 2008[7] and political editor in 2009.[8]

He was also a weekly columnist for The Times[9] on a Friday, previously writing for The Sun on Saturdays and previously the Mail on Sunday.

He is an advisory board member of the ResPublica think tank in Westminster.[10]

On 24 December 2022, Forsyth was hired by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as his political secretary.[11]

In 2023 the New Statesman named Forsyth as the eighth most powerful right-wing figure in the UK., describing him as wielding "significant influence over key decisions".[12]

Personal life

Forsyth has been married to the journalist Allegra Stratton since 2011. She was appointed as the Downing Street Press Secretary under Prime Minister Boris Johnson in November 2020.[1] They live in Canonbury, Islington with their two children.[13][14]

He is close friends with Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak; they were contemporaries at Winchester College and are godparents to each other's children. Sunak was best man at Forsyth's wedding to Stratton in 2011.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Silverman, Rosa (9 October 2020). "Who is Allegra Stratton – the woman set to be Boris's press secretary?". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 October 2020. (subscription required)
  2. ^ a b Edwardes, Charlotte (1 August 2020). "Meet the chancellor: the real Rishi Sunak, by the people who know him best". The Times. (subscription required)
  3. ^ "Thursday 20th February – Wednesday 26th February 2020". Compass. 20 February 2020.
  4. ^ "James Forsyth – Advisory Board Member". ResPublica. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014.
  5. ^ "Author: James Forsyth". Coffee House. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  6. ^ "Welcome to the liveliest of coffee houses — online". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014.
  7. ^ Conlan, Tara (31 January 2008). "Spectator rejigs team as Reid retires". The Guardian.
  8. ^ Tryhorn, Chris (5 October 2009). "James Forsyth named Spectator political editor". The Guardian.
  9. ^ Forsyth, James. "Boris Johnson's great climate change challenge". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  10. ^ "Britain and Immigration – which way forward?". ResPublica. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  11. ^ Savage, Michael. "Rishi Sunak hires journalist James Forsyth as political secretary". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  12. ^ Statesman, New (27 September 2023). "The New Statesman's right power list". New Statesman. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  13. ^ "The Londoner: Co-anchor Allegra Stratton departs Peston". Evening Standard. ESI Media. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  14. ^ "Allegra Stratton's My London". Evening Standard. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2014.

External links

Media offices Preceded byFraser Nelson Political Editor of The Spectator 2009–2022 Succeeded byKaty Balls Government offices Preceded bySophie Jarvis Political Secretary to the Prime Minister 2022–present Incumbent
Special advisers to the British government
Political Secretaries to the Prime Minister
Categories