James Slack | |
|---|---|
_(cropped).jpg) Slack atPolicy Exchange in 2011 | |
| Downing Street Director of Communications | |
| In office 1 January 2021 – 19 March 2021 | |
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson |
| Preceded by | Lee Cain |
| Succeeded by | Jack Doyle |
| Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson | |
| In office 10 February 2017 – 31 December 2020 | |
| Prime Minister | Theresa May Boris Johnson |
| Preceded by | Helen Bower |
| Succeeded by | Max Blain |
James SlackCBE is a British political advisor and journalist who served asDowning Street Director of Communications for Prime MinisterBoris Johnson between January and March 2021.
Previously home affairs editor of theDaily Mail, he was appointed political editor of the newspaper in October 2015 in succession to James Chapman, who had been appointed as spokesman forGeorge Osborne, then Chancellor of the Exchequer.[1]
At theDaily Mail, as home affairs editor, Slack was involved in the campaign to stopGary McKinnon, who hasAsperger 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'sHigh Court of Justice who had made a decision theDaily Mail did not agree with.[4]
At the end of January 2017 it appeared that Slack was to be appointed as thePrime Minister's Official Spokesperson,[5][6] which was confirmed on 10 February 2017.[7] He remained in the post afterBoris Johnson took over the government on 24 July 2019.[8]
Slack was appointed aCommander of the Order of the British Empire inTheresa 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 joinThe Sun as deputy editor[12] in succession to Keith Poole.[13] He was replaced as Director of Communications byJack Doyle, a formerDaily 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 thefuneral of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, when the UK was observing a period ofnational 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]
Johnson's spokesman, James Slack, suggested there's little point to talks unless the EU accepts that position [...]
| Media offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by James Chapman | Political Editor of theDaily Mail 2015–2017 | Succeeded by Jason Groves |
| Preceded by Keith Poole | Deputy Editor ofThe Sun 2021–present | Incumbent |
| Government offices | ||
| Preceded by | Prime Minister's Official Spokesperson 2017–2020 | Succeeded by Jamie Davis Acting |
| Preceded by | Downing Street Director of Communications 2021 | Succeeded by |
| Tony Blair |
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|---|---|---|
| Gordon Brown |
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| David Cameron |
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| Theresa May |
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| Boris Johnson |
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