Special Advisers: Who they are, what they do and why they matter

by Ben Yong, Robert Hazell

Overview

Viewers of The Thick of It will know of special advisers as spin doctors and political careerists. Several well-known ministers have been special advisers, among them David Cameron, Ed Miliband, Jack Straw and Vince Cable. People also know about the public relations disasters involving Jo Moore, Damian McBride and Adam Smith. But what is the reality? What do special advisers actually do in government? Who are they, where do they come from, and why are they needed?
This book is the most detailed study yet carried out of special advisers. The Constitution Unit's research team, led by Dr Ben Yong and Professor Robert Hazell, assembled a comprehensive database of over 600 special advisers since 1979. They conducted written surveys, and interviewed over 100 special advisers, ministers and officials from the past thirty years. They conclude that special advisers are now a permanent and indispensable part of Whitehall, but are still treated as transient and temporary. The book concludes with practical recommendations for increasing the effectiveness of special advisers through improvements to their recruitment, induction and training, support and supervision, and strengthening their accountability.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781509913886
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	12/29/2016
Pages:	302
Product dimensions:	6.14(w) x 9.21(h) x 0.64(d)

About the Author

Ben Yong is a Lecturer in Public Law at Queen Mary, University of London.
Robert Hazell is Professor of Government and the Constitution at University College London.

Table of Contents

Preface vii

List of Figures and Tables xi

1 Why Study Special Advisers? Ben Yong 1

2 Special Advisers and British Government Ben Yong 13

3 Who are Special Advisers? Ben Yong 35

4 What Special Advisers Do for Ministers David Laughrin 61

5 Special Advisers and the Policy-Making Process Peter Waller 87

6 Special Advisers and Communications Peter Waller 111

7 The Regulation, Accountabilities and Responsibilities of Special Advisers Ben Yong 129

8 The Comparative Experience of Political Staff: Westminster Jurisdictions and Ministerial Cabinets Ben Yong 151

9 Improving the Performance of Special Advisers Robert Hazell 169

10 A Profession Comes of Age Robert Hazell 193

Appendix 1 Methodology Max Goplerud 211

Appendix 2 Further Work on the Distribution and Tenure of Special Advisers Max Goplerud 217

Appendix 3 The Post-government Career of Special Advisers Anna Sellers 229

Appendix 4 Biographies 247

Glossary 255

Bibliography 261

Index 281

Editorial Reviews

"The information presented about who they are, their skills and their career paths alone would make this book a 'must read' for current and potential ministers, spads and civil servants." --Civil Service World, September 2014

"Overall, Special Advisers is a comprehensive and fair contribution which will serve anyone wishing to demystify the role well. It is an easy read, albeit a rather dry one...There are plenty of illuminating stories to be told." --Progress Magazine, 17th September 2014

"...this is an extremely important book that provides the first comprehensive account of who special advisers are, what they do, and the role [they] play in British Government." --Public Law

From the Publisher