Spads grow beneath ground

 

Paul Flynn

The Deputy Prime Minister promised in the Coalition Agreement to set a limit on the number of special advisers. There were 71 under Labour. There are 107 now, including 20 in his office, at a cost of £1,200,000. Does he believe in leading by exhortation rather than example?

 

The Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg:

We have been more open and transparent about the employment of special advisers than any previous Government, and I have never hidden the fact that in a coalition Government of two parties, clearly both parties will wish to employ special advisers in order to facilitate the mechanics and workings of government.

 

(Special advisers in post, 30 November 2014)