Friday, February 05, 2021
'You're so vain...'
Even Carly Simon would struggle to find lyrics to do Boris Johnson's vanity justice, though her 1972 hit must come close. I was particularly taken with this section of the lyrics: |
'Well you're where you should be all the time
And when you're not, you're with some underworld spy
Or the wife of a close friend wife of a close friend.'
The Mirror reports that the Prime Minister has been accused of splurging taxpayers’ money on “vanity” after it emerged he has three different photographers working in Downing Street. This comes after a a new promotional staffer began work this week on a salary of up to £60,635 a year.
It is believed that this latest employee will work in both Downing Street and the wider government, and has already taken photos of a No10 press briefing:
It comes despite the PM already employing a photographer, Andrew Parsons, as his Special Advisor part-time on the equivalent of £100,000 a year.
Mr Parsons has long-standing links with the Tory leader and the Conservatives paid his firm £45,000 for work in the 2019 election.
Another civil service photographer is thought to have been on secondment to No10 from the Ministry of Defence since early 2020.
She has taken photos of several No10 press conferences, the PM delivering a coronavirus address to the nation, and trying his hand at archery at a school. She also takes photos for other government work, though an online profile describes her as “MOD photographer for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson ”.
The newest role was advertised last year by the Cabinet Office to “promote the work of Ministers and the wider government”.
A source had told the Mirror the new recruit was due to have the job title ‘Chief Photographer to the Prime Minister’. However, this was strongly disputed by Downing Street sources, who said the job title was ‘Chief Government photographer’.
The new photographer has not yet taken photos of the PM but he covered Monday’s press conference, and the lowering of the No10 flag to half-mast after the death of Captain Sir Tom Moore.
This is hardly big money in the grand scheme of things but the optics are terrible. At a time when the government is refusing to extend free school meals during half term and are pushing ahead with plans to cut £1,000 from Universal Credit, spending money on promoting the Prime Minister in this way is insensitive and cack-handed. It is the triumph of spin over substance, vanity over compassion.
'Well you're where you should be all the time
And when you're not, you're with some underworld spy
Or the wife of a close friend wife of a close friend.'
The Mirror reports that the Prime Minister has been accused of splurging taxpayers’ money on “vanity” after it emerged he has three different photographers working in Downing Street. This comes after a a new promotional staffer began work this week on a salary of up to £60,635 a year.
It is believed that this latest employee will work in both Downing Street and the wider government, and has already taken photos of a No10 press briefing:
It comes despite the PM already employing a photographer, Andrew Parsons, as his Special Advisor part-time on the equivalent of £100,000 a year.
Mr Parsons has long-standing links with the Tory leader and the Conservatives paid his firm £45,000 for work in the 2019 election.
Another civil service photographer is thought to have been on secondment to No10 from the Ministry of Defence since early 2020.
She has taken photos of several No10 press conferences, the PM delivering a coronavirus address to the nation, and trying his hand at archery at a school. She also takes photos for other government work, though an online profile describes her as “MOD photographer for UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson ”.
The newest role was advertised last year by the Cabinet Office to “promote the work of Ministers and the wider government”.
A source had told the Mirror the new recruit was due to have the job title ‘Chief Photographer to the Prime Minister’. However, this was strongly disputed by Downing Street sources, who said the job title was ‘Chief Government photographer’.
The new photographer has not yet taken photos of the PM but he covered Monday’s press conference, and the lowering of the No10 flag to half-mast after the death of Captain Sir Tom Moore.
This is hardly big money in the grand scheme of things but the optics are terrible. At a time when the government is refusing to extend free school meals during half term and are pushing ahead with plans to cut £1,000 from Universal Credit, spending money on promoting the Prime Minister in this way is insensitive and cack-handed. It is the triumph of spin over substance, vanity over compassion.
