Editing Number 10 Policy Unit

{{Short description|Body advising the British prime minister}}
{{Infobox government agency
| name            = Number 10 Policy Unit
| type            = Policy Unit
| seal            = Coat of arms of the United Kingdom (2022, lesser arms).svg
| seal_width      = 140px
| seal_caption    = Royal Arms as used by [[His Majesty's Government]]
| formed          = 1974
| chief1_name     = [[Stuart Ingham]]
| chief1_position = Director
| parent_department = [[10 Downing Street#Office of the Prime Minister|Prime Minister's Office]]
| website         = [http://www.number10.gov.uk/ 10 Downing Street]
}}

The '''Number 10 Policy Unit''' is a body of policymakers based in [[10 Downing Street]], providing policy advice directly to the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|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.

The current Director of the Number 10 Policy Unit is [[Stuart Ingham]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 July 2024 |title= Who are the key people inside Labour’s leadership team? |url= https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/08/who-are-the-key-people-inside-labours-leadership-team |access-date=10 July 2024 |website=The Guardian |language=en-UK}}</ref>

==Since 2010==

The Coalition Government of May 2010 quickly disbanded two major parts of central infrastructure built by [[Tony Blair]], the [[Prime Minister's Delivery Unit|Prime Minister's Delivery Unit (PMDU)]] and [[Prime Minister's Strategy Unit|Prime Minister's Strategy Unit (PMSU)]], as part of the Prime Minister's agenda to reduce the number of [[special advisers (UK government)|special advisers]] and end the micromanagement of [[Whitehall]].<ref name="ethosjournal.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.ethosjournal.com/home/item/283-the-powers-that-be|title=The powers that be|website=www.ethosjournal.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111231032806/http://www.ethosjournal.com/home/item/283-the-powers-that-be |archive-date=31 December 2011 |url-status=usurped}}</ref> In their place, a strengthened Policy and Implementation Unit was launched in early 2011 by the Cabinet Secretary, staffed wholly by civil servants and reporting jointly to the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] and [[Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Deputy Prime Minister]] under joint heads Paul Kirby<ref>Cameron's New Backroom Team Aims to Move Story On from U-turns and Cuts [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/feb/18/cameron-backroom-team-move-cuts]</ref> (Policy) and Kris Murrin (Implementation).<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2011/jun/09/no-10-civil-servant-advisers | work=The Guardian | first=Jane | last=Dudman | title=No 10 happy with civil servant advisers | date=2011-06-09}}</ref>

Members of the Policy Unit in 2010 were <!--<ref name="ethosjournal.com"/>--> Gavin Lockhart-Mirams (Home Affairs), Sean Worth (Health and Adult Social Care),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.healthpolicyinsight.com/?q=node/1010|title=Editor's blog Friday 18 March 2011: EXCLUSIVE - Paul Bate is No 10's new health policy adviser|website=www.healthpolicyinsight.com}}</ref> Chris Brown (Education), Richard Freer (Defence),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.politics.ox.ac.uk/index.php/details/845-a-year-of-coalition-foreign-and-defence-policy-a-number-10-perspective.html |title=Events - 'A Year of Coalition Foreign and Defence Policy: A Number 10 Perspective' &#124; Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford |access-date=2011-07-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928105524/http://www.politics.ox.ac.uk/index.php/details/845-a-year-of-coalition-foreign-and-defence-policy-a-number-10-perspective.html |archive-date=2011-09-28 }}</ref> Tim Luke (Business and Enterprise),<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2011/03/policy-advisers-cameron|title=Cameron abandons hands-off approach to government|website=www.newstatesman.com|date=9 March 2011}}</ref> Michael Lynas ([[Big Society]])<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2010/nov/08/labour-government-tory-civil-service | work=The Guardian | first=Allegra | last=Stratton | author-link = Allegra Stratton| title=Labour says government putting too many Tory allies in civil service | date=2010-11-08}}</ref> and Ben Moxham (Energy and Environment).<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/mar/10/energy-policy-no-10-bp | work=The Guardian | first=Allegra | last=Stratton | title=Energy policy role at No 10 for former BP man | date=2011-03-10}}</ref>  The Unit was supported by the Research and Analytics Unit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2011/02/the-new-10-downing-street.html|title=The new 10 Downing Street}}</ref>

==Since 2019==

[[Munira Mirza]] was appointed director of the Policy Unit when [[Boris Johnson]] became prime minister. She had previously been [[Deputy Mayor of London]] with responsibility for Education and Culture under Johnson during his time as [[Mayor of London]]. Mirza resigned on 4 February 2022 after Johnson failed to apologise for making misleading remarks that implied that [[Keir Starmer]] failed to prosecute [[Jimmy Savile]] while the latter was [[Director of Public Prosecutions]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Forsyth |first1=James |title=Exclusive: No. 10 policy chief quits over Boris's Jimmy Savile slur |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/exclusive-boris-s-policy-chief-quits-over-jimmy-savile-slur/ |access-date=28 January 2023 |work=The Spectator |date=3 February 2022}}</ref>

[[Andrew Griffith]] MP was appointed to replace Mirza as the director of the Policy Unit until 8 July 2022.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Andrew Griffith MP |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/andrew-griffith |access-date=2022-07-10 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref> As a sitting MP, he was also appointed as Parliamentary Secretary (Minister for Policy and Head of the Prime Minister's Policy Unit).<ref>{{cite web |title=Parliamentary Secretary (Minister for Policy and Head of the Prime Minister's Policy Unit) |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/parliamentary-secretary-minister-for-policy-and-head-of-the-prime-ministers-policy-unit |website=GOV.UK |publisher=HM Government |access-date=28 January 2023}}</ref> The role was left vacant from 8 July 2022, as Johnson announced his [[July 2022 United Kingdom government crisis|resignation]] as [[Leader of the Conservative Party (UK)|party leader]], with a view to remaining as a caretaker prime minister until his successor had been [[July–September 2022 Conservative Party leadership election|chosen]]. 

The vacant post was filled by Jamie Hope on 6 September 2022 as part of the short-lived [[Truss ministry]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=2022-09-06 |title=New PM installs close allies in top cabinet jobs |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/aae81524-3a2b-43a8-99a0-43ac9c4243ab |access-date=2022-09-06}}</ref>

When [[Rishi Sunak]] [[October 2022 Conservative Party leadership election|became prime minister]] in October 2022, Eleanor Shawcross, the daughter of the [[Commissioner for Public Appointments]], [[William Shawcross]] and grand-daughter of the barrister [[Hartley Shawcross]], became director of the Policy Unit. She had previously donated £20,000 to his leadership campaign, having advised him while he was [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Mikey |title=EXCLUSIVE: Boris Johnson loan probe into BBC chair to be run by father of Rishi Sunak's policy chief |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/boris-johnson-loan-probe-bbc-29033019 |access-date=28 January 2023 |work=The Daily Mirror |date=23 January 2023}}</ref> Shawcross had previously spent 6 years as deputy chief of staff to [[George Osborne]] during his time as Chancellor, and chief of staff at the [[Department for Work and Pensions]] where she was later made a non-executive director.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bright |first1=Sam |title=Rishi Sunak Appoints Donor as Policy Chief |url=https://bylinetimes.com/2022/11/09/rishi-sunak-appoints-donor-eleanor-shawcross-wolfson-head-of-policy/ |access-date=28 January 2023 |work=Byline Times |publisher=Byline Times |date=9 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Mandrake |title=Meet Rishi Sunak's fabulously wealthy new policy chief |url=https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/meet-rishi-sunaks-policy-chief/ |access-date=28 January 2023 |work=The New European |publisher=The New European |date=31 October 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Leake |first1=Natasha |title=Meet the elite, chic circle of youngsters behind Rishi's premiership |url=https://www.tatler.com/article/special-advisers-rishi-sunak |access-date=28 January 2023 |work=The Tatler |publisher=Condé Nast Britain |date=26 October 2022}}</ref>

== List of Directors of the Policy Unit ==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! #
! Policy Director
! Years
! colspan="2" | Prime Minister
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1
| rowspan="2" | [[Bernard Donoughue, Baron Donoughue|Bernard Donoughue]]
| 1974–1976
| [[Harold Wilson]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|-
|1976–1979
|[[James Callaghan]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|-
| 2
| [[John Hoskyns (policy advisor)|John Hoskyns]]
| 1979–1982
| rowspan="4" | [[Margaret Thatcher]]
| rowspan="4" style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|-
| 3
| [[Ferdinand Mount]]
| 1982–1983
|-
| 4
| [[John Redwood]]
| 1983–1985
|-
| 5
| [[Brian Griffiths, Baron Griffiths of Fforestfach|Brian Griffiths]]
| 1985–1990
|-
| 6
| [[Sarah Hogg, Viscountess Hailsham|Sarah Hogg]]
| 1990–1995
| rowspan="2" | [[John Major]]
| rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|-
| 7
| [[Norman Blackwell]]
| 1995–1997
|-
| 8
| [[David Miliband]]
| 1997–2001
| rowspan="5" | [[Tony Blair]]
| rowspan="5" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|-
| 9
| [[Andrew Adonis, Baron Adonis|Andrew Adonis]]<ref name="anyquestions">{{cite web | author = BBC Radio 4 | author-link = BBC Radio 4 | title = ''Any Questions?'' transcript | publisher = BBC | date = 2005-12-02 | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/news/anyquestions_transcripts_20051202.shtml | access-date = 2006-12-17}}</ref>
| 2001–2003
|-
| 10
| [[Geoff Mulgan]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2003/sep/04/uk.society1|title=Blair pins hopes on sweeping policy changes|first1=Patrick|last1=Wintour|first2=Michael|last2=White|date=4 September 2003|website=the Guardian}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2004/apr/21/guardiansocietysupplement2|title=Eastern promise|first=David|last=Walker|date=21 April 2004|website=the Guardian}}</ref> 
| 2003–2004
|-
| 11
| [[Matthew Taylor (Labour politician)|Matthew Taylor]]
| 2005–2005
|-
| 12
| [[David Bennett (consultant)|David Bennett]]
| 2005–2007
|-
| 13
| [[Dan Corry]]
| 2007–2008
| rowspan="2" | [[Gordon Brown]]
| rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|-
| 14
| Nick Pearce
| 2008–2010
|-
| 15
| [[James O'Shaughnessy, Baron O'Shaughnessy]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-05-22 |title=The Cameron centre takes shape |url=https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/article/comment/cameron-centre-takes-shape |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=Institute for Government |language=en}}</ref>
| 2010–2011
| rowspan="4" | [[David Cameron]]
| rowspan="4" style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|- 
| 16
| Paul Kirby
| 2011–2013
|-
| 17
| [[Jo Johnson]]
| 2013–2015
|-
| 18
| [[Camilla Cavendish]]
| 2015–2016
|-
| 19
| John Godfrey<ref>{{cite web|title=Downing Street political advisers|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/downing-street-political-advisers|website=gov.uk|access-date=29 March 2017}}</ref>
| 2016–2017
| rowspan="2" | [[Theresa May]]
| rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|-
| 20
| [[James Marshall (political adviser)|James Marshall]]
| 2017–2019
|-
| 21
| [[Munira Mirza]]
| 2019–2022
| rowspan="2" | [[Boris Johnson]]
| rowspan="2" style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|-
| 22
| [[Andrew Griffith]]<ref name=":0" />
| 2022
|-
|23
|Jamie Hope<ref name=":1" />
|2022
| rowspan="1" | [[Liz Truss]]
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|-
|24
|[[Eleanor Shawcross]]
|2022–2024
| rowspan="1" | [[Rishi Sunak]]
| rowspan="1" style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |
|-
|25
|[[Stuart Ingham]]
|2024 - present
| rowspan="1" | [[Keir Starmer]]
| rowspan="1"style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |
|}

==See also==
*[[Central Policy Review Staff]]
*[[10 Downing Street#Office of the Prime Minister|Prime Minister's Office]]

== References ==

{{reflist}}

{{Downing Street}}

[[Category:British Prime Minister's Office]]
[[Category:Public bodies and task forces of the United Kingdom government]]
[[Category:Public policy in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1974 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:10 Downing Street]]