Advisers advise, Ministers decide. But while the buck stops with the boss, special advisers can still find themselves in the firing line when things go wrong. Unlike civil servants, SpAds are affiliated with political parties and are not required to be impartial. They are employed for their political expertise as much as their policy brains.

When a backbench rebellion derailed the Government’s welfare reforms, it didn’t take long for Labour MPs to brief against the “over-excitable boys” advising the Prime Minister (principally, No 10 Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney). There was also briefing from “Cabinet sources” against No 10 Political Director Claire Reynolds for failing to convince Labour backbenchers of the case for reform.

While sources within the Parliamentary party and Government acknowledged the need to reset relations following the welfare rebellion, grumbling persists. After three Labour MPs lost their roles as trade envoys shortly before Recess for being insufficiently loyal, some branded the SpAds involved as “petty”.

Growing disquiet within the Parliamentary party, the rise of Reform UK and challenges communicating a cohesive narrative for Starmer’s Labour have seen SpAd ranks increase since the beginning of the year. In the last week alone, No 10 has drafted NHS England Strategy Director Tom Kibasi to bolster operations ahead of what’s likely to be a bruising Budget period.

Government figures have also asked Labour-leaning organisations to suggest experienced professionals, like economists to serve as advisers, with mixed results: some of those approached queried why they would leave well-paid, stable jobs in the private sector when a Government reorganisation could be on the horizon.

With a reshuffle anticipated at some stage before next May’s local and devolved government elections – sooner, depending on the reception of the Budget and party conferences – attention may again turn to the “over-excitable boys” in No 10 and the 130 other special advisers working across a Government polling 10 points behind Reform UK.

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