Hilton. O’Shaughnessy. Peter Campbell. Tim Chatwin. All gone from Number 10. And now Rohan Silva is to leave

By Paul Goodman
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• Tim Chatwin was Head of Strategic Communications.

• James O’Shaughnessy was Head of Policy.

• Peter Campbell was a long-time researcher to Cameron, who helped to prepare him for Prime Minister's Questions - as he did former Conservative leaders.

• Steve Hilton was...well, Hilton needs no introduction to our readers.

• (...And then there was Andy Coulson...a bit of a special case...)

And now Rohan Silva is to leave, according to Sky News.  It is claimed that he wants "to launch a business in the digital education sector".  I first got to know Silva, who is now a senior policy adviser to David Cameron, when he was working for George Osborne, and this engaging, bright and charming figure deserves all the good wishes that he can take with him when he goes.

That will be in the summer, according to Sky - which amidst the winds of this cruellest month seems a long way away.  Advisers come and go, but Silva's enthusiasm and imagination will be badly missed.  And more senior staff have been going from Downing Street than coming.

This says something either about the Coalition's ability to retain them, or about their view of the likely general election result in 2015, or both.  Silva was ribbed by the still-missed SteveHiltonGuru for being Hilton's tea-maker.  He is much, much more than that: an eloquent believer in public service reform.  A true radical is leaving the building -  perhaps one of the last.