Boris Johnson has appointed the ex-chief of a private healthcare firm as No10's new Chief Operating Officer as the embattled Prime Minister tries to move on from Partygate.
Samantha Jones, formerly chief executive of Operose Health, becomes Downing Street's permanent secretary and will help create a "professional operation" as part of a new 'Office of the Prime Minister'.
It comes as Mr Johnson was plunged into a fresh Partygate crisis after the Met said it was reviewing the decision not to investigate a Christmas quiz in December.
It followed the Mirror publishing new bombshell pictures of the PM wearing tinsel in front of bottle of bubbly with staff.
In her report earlier this month, top civil servant Sue Gray strongly criticised Mr Johnson's "failure of leadership" over Downing Street parties.
Martin Reynolds - the top official who sent the notorious "Bring Your Own Booze" email to Downing Street staff - resigned alongside the PM's chief of staff Dan Rosenfield last week.
It follows the appointments of new chief of staff Steve Barclay, communications director Guto Harri, and policy unit chief Andrew Griffith.
Ms Jones said: “I am pleased to have been asked by the Prime Minister to take up the role of Permanent Secretary in No 10.
"I look forward to establishing an Office for the Prime Minister that provides him with the professional operation to deliver his agenda.”
Ms Jones is currently the Prime Minister’s Expert Advisor on NHS Transformation and Social Care, and has senior leadership experience as Chief Executive of West Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust and Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust.
Boris Johnson said: “I promised to make changes to my senior team so that we can get on with better delivering for the British people.
“That is what we are now doing by bringing in the very best skills and management experience with a clear vision to unite and level up our country.”
Mr Johnson's political future hangs in the balance as a string of Tories have called for his resignation and written to the 1922 committee calling for a confidence vote.
The Cabinet Secretary, Simon Case, said: “I am delighted Samantha has agreed to take on this critical role. Samantha has the blend of skills and experience needed to take on the job.
“Samantha’s experience of leading and managing transformation in the public and private sectors will be invaluable as we overhaul the structures which support the Prime Minister and Cabinet.”
