Rishi Sunak has hired Amber de Botton as his director of communications, Downing Street confirmed on Saturday, in the latest in a series of appointments made by the prime minister in his first week in office.
De Botton’s career as a journalist has included working for ITV News and Sky News. She leaves ITV News, where she was head of UK news and previously politics.
Unlike an impartial civil servant, the special adviser will be able to give political advice to ministers, defend the government’s actions and criticise opposition parties.
ITV’s political editor, Robert Peston, tweeted: “My colleague Amber de Botton is leaving ITV to be Rishi Sunak’s director of communications. She is a brilliant news editor and journalist, and leaves a huge hole at ITV News.”
The Sky News political editor, Beth Rigby, wrote: “She’s a seriously talented news editor and political operator, now heading to No 10 to direct PM’s communications strategy. They mean business.”
The appointment is the latest made by Sunak, who became prime minister on Monday after a leadership vote.
