Tory minister Grant Shapps is set to spend almost £100,000 a year of taxpayer’s cash on slick photos and videos.
The Sunday Mirror can reveal the Transport Secretary is hiring his own taxpayer-funded vanity photographer.
And he has brought in a professional video production team to create viral videos for him.
It comes after Boris Johnson faced fresh questions over his use of private photographers at the public’s expense, who are given access to events tow which independent press photographers are denied entry.
Cabinet Office minister Nigel Adams this week claimed Boris Johnson's team of publicly funded snappers represented good value for money, because they work "across government".
But Mr Shapps is advertising for his own snapper - a "visual storyteller" - to be paid £42,466 a year of taxpayers' cash.
Meanwhile, the DfT published details of a £50,000 contract handed to Yada Yada, a video production company.
It's understood the contract with Yada Yada is related to recruitment as the department expands outside of London
Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: “The Tories are axing bus and rail services, while the man in charge splashes taxpayers' cash on a vanity photographer.
“Instead of spending £100k of public money trying to make himself look good, the part-time Transport Secretary could try doing his job instead and fixing the Tory mess on our public transport.”
She added: “From dodgy wallpaper to crony contracts, it's always the public who pays the price for Tory waste.”
In the job advert, the Department for Transport (DfT) said the successful candidate would have "an eye for a newsworthy image and an ability to tell an engaging story?"
It also said they should have a "sharp news sense and high degree of political awareness".
A DfT Spokesperson said: “It’s right that we showcase the opportunities the Civil Service has to offer across the UK, as we look to Level Up the country, and have appointed an agency to help deliver this vision.
“Separately, the Department has advertised for a photographer to support its long term work and that of any associated bodies, helping keep the public informed of the vital work we deliver.”
NOTE: This story originally stated the department's video promoting the competition to be the home of Great British Railways was produced by Yada Yada. This was not correct, and the article has been updated to reflect this.
