Hunt’s henchmen return to power

Every revolution has its victims and Jeremy Hunt’s counter-coup is no exception. The new Chancellor’s return to office has meant a clear out of Kwasi Kwarteng’s aides as the special adviser merry go-round continues at pace. The age of ministers being told to hire from a No 10 approved-list of nominees is over: Hunt instead prefers to rely for counsel on several long-time advisers.

One of his new spads is Christina Robinson, his press officer who ran his media communications when he was in the Cabinet. She has been papped by the press in recent days, escorting her boss around as he desperately tries to reassure the markets. Robinson previously ran the former Health Committee chair’s comms in a private capacity, having been a spad for him between 2012 to 2019. She also helped run both of Hunt’s 2019 and 2022 leadership campaigns.