James Forsyth (journalist)

Last updated

Allegra Stratton
(m. 2011)
[1]
James Forsyth
James Forsyth panel for 'Britannia Unchained'.jpg
Forsyth in 2012
Political Secretary to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Assumed office
24 December 2022
Children2
Education Winchester College
Alma mater Jesus College, Cambridge
Known for The Spectator
The Sun
Mail on Sunday

James Forsyth (born 1981) is a British political aide and former political journalist. After serving as political editor of The Spectator magazine since 2009, he was appointed Political Secretary to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom by Rishi Sunak in 2022.

Contents

Early life

Forsyth attended Winchester College and Jesus College, Cambridge. [2] [3]

Career

Forsyth joined Foreign Policy magazine as assistant editor [4] before launching Coffee House, [5] The Spectator 's political blog, in 2007. [6] He was appointed deputy editor, online, of The Spectator in 2008 [7] and political editor in 2009. [8]

He was also a weekly columnist for The Times [9] on a Friday, previously writing for The Sun on Saturdays and previously the Mail on Sunday .

He is an advisory board member of the ResPublica think tank in Westminster. [10]

On 24 December 2022, Forsyth was hired by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as his political secretary. [11]

In 2023 the New Statesman named Forsyth as the eighth most powerful right-wing figure in the UK., describing him as wielding "significant influence over key decisions". [12]

Personal life

Forsyth has been married to the journalist Allegra Stratton since 2011. She was appointed as the Downing Street Press Secretary under Prime Minister Boris Johnson in November 2020. [1] They live in Canonbury, Islington with their two children. [13] [14]

He is close friends with Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak; they were contemporaries at Winchester College and are godparents to each other's children. Sunak was best man at Forsyth's wedding to Stratton in 2011. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Number 10 Policy Unit</span>

The Number 10 Policy Unit is a body of policymakers based in 10 Downing Street, providing policy advice directly to the British Prime Minister. Originally set up to support Harold Wilson in 1974, it has gone through a series of guises to suit the needs of successive prime ministers, staffed variously by political advisers, civil servants and more recently a combination of both.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downing Street Chief of Staff</span> Most senior political appointee in the Office of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

The office of Downing Street Chief of Staff is the most senior political appointee in the Office of the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, acting as a senior aide to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The holder of the office retains a highly powerful, non-ministerial position within His Majesty's Government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Cleverly</span> British politician (born 1969)

James Spencer Cleverly is a British politician and Army Reserve officer who has served as Home Secretary since November 2023. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Braintree in Essex since 2015. He previously served as Foreign Secretary from 2022 to 2023, Secretary of State for Education from July to September 2022, Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party alongside Ben Elliot from 2019 to 2020, and in other junior ministerial positions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allegra Stratton</span> British journalist (born 1980)

Allegra Elizabeth Jane Stratton is a British former political aide, journalist, and writer who served as Downing Street Press Secretary under Boris Johnson from November 2020 to April 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Barclay</span> UK Environment Secretary since 2023

Stephen Paul Barclay is a British politician who has been the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since November 2023, having previously served in various cabinet positions under prime ministers Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak between 2018 and 2023. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Cambridgeshire since 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mel Stride</span> British Conservative politician

Melvyn John Stride is a British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions since October 2022. He previously served in the May Government as Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General from 2017 to 2019 and as Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council from May to July 2019. He also served as Chair of the Treasury Select Committee from 2019 to 2022. A member of the Conservative Party, he has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Central Devon since 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Downing Street Press Secretary</span> Adviser to the prime minister of the UK

The Downing Street Press Secretary is an adviser to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on news media and how to manage the image of the British government to the press. The position is part of the Prime Minister's Office and involves using information on what is happening in the UK and around the world, to decide on how the Prime Minister should present his or her reaction to the media. The incumbent also advises on how to handle news stories and other information which could affect the current Prime Minister or the Ministry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rishi Sunak</span> Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since 2022

Rishi Sunak is a British politician who has served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party since 2022. The first British Asian prime minister, he previously held two cabinet positions under Boris Johnson, latterly as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2020 to 2022. Sunak has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Richmond (Yorks) since 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michelle Donelan</span> British politician (born 1984)

Michelle Emma May Elizabeth Donelan is a British politician serving as Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology since July 2023, having previously served in the position from February to April 2023 before being temporarily replaced during her maternity leave. A member of the Conservative Party, Donelan also held three other cabinet positions from 2020 to 2023 under Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak. She has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Chippenham in Wiltshire since 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Heappey</span> British Conservative politician and soldier

James Stephen Heappey is a British politician serving as Minister of State for the Armed Forces since 2022. A member of the Conservative Party, he has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Wells in Somerset since 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anne-Marie Trevelyan</span> British politician (born 1969)

Anne-Marie Belinda Trevelyan is a British politician serving as Minister of State for Indo-Pacific under Rishi Sunak since October 2022. A member of the Conservative Party, she has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Berwick-upon-Tweed since 2015 and known locally as the Travel Iron. She previously served in the Cabinets of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oliver Dowden</span> British politician (born 1977)

Oliver James Dowden is a British politician and the current Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. A member of the Conservative Party, he is also Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Secretary of State in the Cabinet Office and has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hertsmere since 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2020 British cabinet reshuffle</span> First cabinet reshuffle undertaken by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson carried out the first significant reshuffle of his majority government on 13 February 2020. Following the December 2019 general election, there was considerable speculation that Johnson was planning a major reshuffle of the Cabinet, to take place after the United Kingdom's official withdrawal from the European Union on 31 January 2020. There were reports that up to a third of the Cabinet would be dismissed, Whitehall departments abolished and civil servants replaced by policy experts; however, the reshuffle was smaller than expected and no departments were abolished. The anticipated reshuffle was nicknamed "The St Valentine's Day Massacre" in the press, due to its proximity to St Valentine's Day, the name being a reference to the 1929 gangland shooting in Chicago.

The July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election was triggered by Boris Johnson's announcement on 7 July 2022 that he would resign as Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, following a series of political controversies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours</span> Honours awarded following the resignation of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister

The 2022 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours are honours awarded following the September 2022 resignation of the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

The October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election was triggered by Liz Truss's announcement that she would resign as Leader of the Conservative Party and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, amid an economic and political crisis.

This is a list of public endorsements for declared candidates for the October 2022 leadership election for the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Premiership of Rishi Sunak</span> Period of the Government of the United Kingdom from 2022

Rishi Sunak's tenure as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom began on 25 October 2022 when he accepted an invitation from King Charles III to form a government, succeeding Liz Truss. He is the first British Indian to hold the office of prime minister. As prime minister, Sunak is also serving as First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, and Minister for the Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liam Booth-Smith</span> British political adviser

Liam Booth-Smith is a British political adviser who has served as the Downing Street Chief of Staff since October 2022. He previously served as de facto chief of staff to then-chancellor Rishi Sunak as head of the Joint Economic Unit.

Amber de Botton is a British journalist and former political aide. She served as the Downing Street Director of Communications from October 2022 until September 2023, succeeding Guto Harri.

References

  1. 1 2 Silverman, Rosa (9 October 2020). "Who is Allegra Stratton – the woman set to be Boris's press secretary?". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 10 October 2020.(subscription required)
  2. 1 2 Edwardes, Charlotte (1 August 2020). "Meet the chancellor: the real Rishi Sunak, by the people who know him best". The Times.(subscription required)
  3. "Thursday 20th February – Wednesday 26th February 2020". Compass. 20 February 2020.
  4. "James Forsyth – Advisory Board Member". ResPublica. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014.
  5. "Author: James Forsyth". Coffee House. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  6. "Welcome to the liveliest of coffee houses — online". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014.
  7. Conlan, Tara (31 January 2008). "Spectator rejigs team as Reid retires". The Guardian.
  8. Tryhorn, Chris (5 October 2009). "James Forsyth named Spectator political editor". The Guardian.
  9. Forsyth, James. "Boris Johnson's great climate change challenge". The Times . ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  10. "Britain and Immigration – which way forward?". ResPublica. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  11. Savage, Michael. "Rishi Sunak hires journalist James Forsyth as political secretary". The Guardian . Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  12. Statesman, New (27 September 2023). "The New Statesman's right power list". New Statesman. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
  13. "The Londoner: Co-anchor Allegra Stratton departs Peston". Evening Standard. ESI Media. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  14. "Allegra Stratton's My London". Evening Standard. 28 March 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2014.
Media offices
Preceded by Political Editor of The Spectator
20092022
Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by
Sophie Jarvis
Political Secretary to the Prime Minister
2022present
Incumbent