James Slack
CBE
Slack at Policy Exchange in 2011
Downing Street Director of Communications
In office
1 January 2021 – 19 March 2021
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Preceded byLee Cain
Succeeded byJack Doyle
Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson
In office
10 February 2017 – 31 December 2020
Prime MinisterTheresa May
Boris Johnson
Preceded byHelen Bower
Succeeded byMax Blain

James Slack CBE is a British political advisor and journalist who served as Downing Street Director of Communications for Prime Minister Boris Johnson between January and March 2021.

Career

Previously home affairs editor of the Daily Mail, he was appointed political editor of the newspaper in October 2015 in succession to James Chapman, who had been appointed as spokesman for George Osborne, then Chancellor of the Exchequer.[1]

At the Daily Mail, as home affairs editor, Slack was involved in the campaign to stop Gary McKinnon, who suffers from Asperger syndrome, from being extradited to the United States to face charges relating to computer hacking.[1][2][3]

Slack wrote the controversial "Enemies of the People" front-page article on 4 November 2016 which criticised senior judges in England's High Court of Justice who had made a decision the Daily Mail did not agree with.[4]

At the end of January 2017 it appeared that Slack was to be appointed as the Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson,[5][6] which was confirmed on 10 February 2017.[7] He remained in the post after Boris Johnson took over the government on 24 July 2019.[8]

Slack was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in Theresa May's resignation honours list for public service.[9]

Following the announcement that the then-Downing Street Director of Communications, Lee Cain, had resigned from government and would leave his post at the end of December 2020 it was confirmed that Slack would assume this position in the new year.[10][11]

In March 2021, it was announced that he was leaving Downing Street to join The Sun as deputy editor[12] in succession to Keith Poole.[13] He was replaced as Director of Communications by Jack Doyle, a former Daily Mail associate editor for politics.[14]

On 13 January 2022, The Daily Telegraph reported on two parties alleged to have been held at 10 Downing Street in April 2021, on the eve of the funeral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, when the UK was observing a period of national mourning following the Duke's death the previous week, and as England remained in step two lockdown restrictions, where people were only permitted to meet up outdoors. These were leaving events for Slack and for a photographer.[15] The next day, Slack and Downing Street confirmed there was an event, with Slack apologising for what happened.[16]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Ponsford, Dominic (30 October 2015). "Daily Mail's James Slack promoted to political editor – Alton and Oakeshott in talks about joining title". Press Gazette. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  2. ^ Ponsford, Dominic (17 October 2012). "Mum praises Daily Mail for 'non-stop' support as Gary McKinnon wins fight against extradition". Press Gazette. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  3. ^ Palmer, Ewan (16 October 2012). "Gary McKinnon Extradition Victory 'a Win for the Little Person'". International Business Times. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  4. ^ Stanton, John; Prescott, Craig (2018). Public Law. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 56, n. 83. ISBN 978-0192545527.
  5. ^ McTague, Tom (31 January 2017). "Theresa May gets her Alastair Campbell". Politico. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  6. ^ Asthana, Anushka (31 January 2017). "Journalist James Slack tipped to become Theresa May's spokesman". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  7. ^ "James Slack will be the new Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson" (Press release). GOV.UK. 10 February 2017. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
  8. ^ "New U.K. Prime Minister Johnson Faces Same Old Brexit Problems". Bloomberg. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2019. Johnson's spokesman, James Slack, suggested there's little point to talks unless the EU accepts that position [...]
  9. ^ "Resignation Honours 2019" (PDF). gov.uk. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  10. ^ "Max Blain will be the new Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson". GOV.UK. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
  11. ^ Blewett, Sam (13 November 2020). "Former Nottingham Post reporter to become Boris Johnson's communications director". Nottingham Post. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  12. ^ Godfrey, Hannah (19 March 2021). "Boris Johnson's director of comms to join The Sun as deputy editor-in-chief". City A.M. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  13. ^ "James Slack appointed Deputy Editor-in-Chief, The Sun". News UK. 19 March 2021. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  14. ^ Allegretti, Aubrey (20 April 2021). "No 10 press briefings plan axed as Stratton moves to Cop26 role". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  15. ^ Diver, Tony; Riley-Smith, Ben (13 January 2022). "Exclusive: Two parties held in Downing Street as Queen and country mourned death of Prince Philip". The Telegraph. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  16. ^ Ambrose, Tom (14 January 2022). "Former Covid taskforce head 'sorry' for holding Cabinet Office leaving party 'with drinks' in December 2020 – live". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
Media offices Preceded byJames Chapman Political Editor of the Daily Mail 2015–2017 Succeeded byJason Groves Preceded byKeith Poole Deputy Editor of The Sun 2021–present Incumbent Government offices Preceded byHelen Bower Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson 2017–2020 Succeeded byJamie DavisActing Preceded byLee Cain Downing Street Director of Communications 2021 Succeeded byJack Doyle


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