Nikki Da Costa is a British political advisor and activist. She was a special adviser serving as the director of legislative affairs in 10 Downing Street for two Prime Ministers: Theresa May from September 2017 until November 2018, [1] and again for Boris Johnson from July 2019 to August 2021. [2] She was heavily cited in the High Court case regarding the prorogation of parliament in 2019, having provided written advice [3] to the then Prime Minister Boris Johnson that the prorogation should take place. [4] She was named one of the 100 most influential women in the UK by The House in 2020. [5]
Between her stints in Number 10, da Costa worked in public affairs, through the Cicero Group, and her own consultancy company. [6] More recently, she has worked as a specialist partner with Flint Global lobbying firm. [7] She alongside Mercy Muroki was an unpaid "Policy Fellow" to the Minister for Women and Equalities, Kemi Badenoch for 2023–24. [8]
Da Costa has occasionally written op-eds and other articles reflecting on her time in government and giving advice. She wrote in The Times in January 2022 regarding Partygate that Number 10 had "failed as a collective" to follow the COVID-19 lockdown standards it had set. [9] [10] [11]
She was the Conservative candidate in North East Hertfordshire at the 2024 general election. [12] [13] Her election bid was defeated by Labour's candidate Chris Hinchliff. [14]
NORTH EAST HERTFORDSHIRE (147th safest): it seems Nikki Da Costa has been picked as Conservative candidate.