Daniel Kruger joins leader's office

ConservativeHome has learnt that Danny Kruger has resigned as Chief Leader Writer at The Daily Telegraph to become special adviser to David Cameron.  Danny Kruger will have responsibility for big occasion speeches and for ensuring that the leader's office and Oliver Letwin closely co-ordinate policy development.  ConservativeHome has reported on recent failures of the leader's kitchen cabinet to involve key party figures in policy announcements.

Danny's appointment will be welcomed by the right of the party.  Danny is a convinced Eurosceptic, a social conservative and one of the driving forces behind Direct Democracy's localisation agenda.  His appointment will bring some balance to the leader's office that, with the exception of Desmond Swayne, is currently dominated by centrists.  Edward Llewellyn, for example, the leader's highly capable chief of staff previously worked for Paddy Ashdown and Chris Patten.  Dougie Smith, the leader's principal speechwriter, is a leading moderniser.

Danny is not a right-winger in the Heffer mould, however.  Danny has been a leading supporter of Iain Duncan Smith's Centre for Social Justice and is also supportive of the leader's green agenda.  It is probably the case that he has been unhappy with The Telegraph's increasingly strident line.  Simon Heffer and Jeff Randall have been leading regular attacks on Project Cameron and last week's YouGov poll - which gave the Tories a steadyish 5% lead - was headlined as disappointing by the newspaper's political team.

Some will worry that Danny is not a safe pair of hands.  He was forced to resign as candidate for Sedgefield before the last election because he talked of the need for a process of 'creative destruction' in the public services.  Danny's enthusiasm for Schumpeterian economics was not shared by an enraged Michael Howard.

As Danny moves into the leader's office, Jonathan Hellewell moves out.  Mr Hellewell, David Cameron's private secretary, is moving to St James's Palace to work for Prince Charles.

Comments

[Anon]

How can anyone say that Danny Kruger is the unsafe pair of hands in the leaders' office - that prize must clearly go to Dougie Smith - as the organiser of so-called Fever Parties - repeatedly exposed in the press as swinger parties/orgies. Don't take my word foir it - look at the press clippings. If David Cameron thinks such a person is appropriate to be in his office it raises serious questions about his judgement.

[william]

They can have as much sex as they like as long as a. it is consensual and b. they deliver Direct Democracy, and save Freedom of Speech.

[Adrian Owens]

Good news. Danny Kruger is an authentic Conservative, but one who can communicate well and positively Conservative principles in our current times.

[Garry Watson]

Yawn. Dougie Smith has been Cameron's speechwriter for months. Before that he wrote speeches for Michael Howard. Before that he ran C-Change. He also happens to be a nice guy who - unlike some - is always happy to make time to give advice to fellow Tories. Do we really care about his former sex life?

[Floreat Cameroon]

That's nice. Old Etonian Dave listens to Old Etonian Oliver and employs old Etonian Danny. Brown is going to flatten us.

[Posh Spice]

Is there in Cameron's office who isn't posh?

Which school did Mr Kruger attend?

[Graeme Archer]

Is there anyone in the universe who thinks it matters what school someone went to? Oh! Sorry. Apparently ex-Girl Power band members do. Meanwhile, back on planet earth, party members celebrate the arrival of more talent into the leader's office.

[Antipodes]

Is this the same Dougie Smith that skinned his ex-girlfriend's little sister's rabbit alive?

[Richard]

Agreed Graeme. Moaning about "posh" schools has traditionally been a left-wing hobby. I haven't had a private education but I don't begrudge those that have.

[Tam Large]

Judging by the EPP promise betrayal, the most unsafe pair of hands in the Leader's Office is...er... the Leader. As Danny is a real Conservative, this means we will have at least one in the Cameroon clique.

[Non-U]

In the Leader's inner circle -

Old Etonians - Dave Cameron, Oliver Letwin, Ed Llewellyn, George Bridges, Danny Kruger.

Other public school - George Osborne, Kate Fall, Nick Boles

State school - Steve Hilton, Dougie Smith, George Eustice, Peter Campbell, Michael Gove

[Phelps]

Cut the public school / Etonian obsession. It's boring and irrelevant. If you're that concerned about privilege join the Daily Mirror.

[Esbonio]

I think it is entirely reasonable to be concerned as to whether the leadership of any party comes from too narrow a background. If it does it runs the danger of becoming a narrow minded clique prone to group think.

As for Eton, my general experience of them at Oxford (there were a few, ok maybe one notable exception) was that they were extremely cliquey. The ones I met in the City who generally had not gone to universlty were friendlier.

[John Coles]

What troubles me about the Eton alumni is the type of conservatism they all seem to pusue - socially left of centre with a strong patrician streak and an unshakeable belief in the EU.

[Selsdon Man]

Douglas Smith was educated at George Watson's college in Edinburgh, a private school.

[powellite]

Many congratulations to Danny. He's a fantastic chap with a first-rate intellect, as well as being incredibly personable.

As for his background - since when did one's place of education matter? I don't give a monkeys where people went to school - if you've got the skills that's all that matters. People who complain about 'too many toffs' in the party are beginning to sound like John Prescott...

[Garry Watson]

Fact check for Selsdon Man: Dougie Smith went to Trinity Academy in Edinburgh, a comprehensive school. PS - this is getting silly.

[Nigel C]

Mr Hellewell's move to St James Palace is interesting. Any link to the Conservative's change in tack on house building and Prince Charles' Foundation for the Built Environment?

[Jonathan]

The problem with Dougie Smith and his involvement in organising "Fever Parties" is not what sexual activities Dougie Smith chooses to engage in - however distasteful many of us may find them.

It is that Dougie Smith has not been rumblled merely as someone who enjoyed attending "swinger parties". It is that he is - as the press reports show and he has repeatedly admitted - the (or one of the) organisers of these parties. These parties are a for-profit business, in which Dougie Smith is a key player.

Would we really be happy if someone working for the party leaders' office ran/owned a brothel? Is what Dougie Smith that very different. O.K. - it has not been alleged that people are paid for sex at these parties, but people do pay to attend them - is that so very different?

Would those who seem quite so happy about Cameron appointing such a person to the leaders' office really be saying similar things if a person with a very similar background worked for Tony Blair's office? Of course not (and no, writing stories/fiction for a soft porn mag is not the same thing as profiting from orgies).

[Jonathan]

Further, other questions also need to be raised about "Fever" parties. The last one of these which was "uncovered" in the press took place in a building which was the former Sierra Leone embassy - a whole building in Portland Place acquired by "business man" Eddie Davenport (perhaps best remembered as the organiser of "Gate Crasher" Ball's in the 1980 - I am sure they will be familiar to many then public school boys and girls) for £50,000. This transaction (buying the embassy) has caused much press comment in the press and has been subject to legasl challenges.

From reports it is clear that Eddie Davnport was involved in the commercial side of at least this Fever Party. Allegations have been made about Eddie Davenport of a very serious nature. Is it appropriate that a business partner of such a person should work for the leader's office?

[James Maskell]

Krugers in to improve relations between policy development and ther Leader? So policy is to be made even more by the Leader's office?

Oh goody, There are elections 9 months tomorrow and policy is to be made by a close circle of mates at terh upper echelons of the Party...Cameron you are hurting our chances next year. For Gods sake, open debate up.

[Garry Watson]

I'm a friend of Dougie Smith's so you may think I'm biased but it also means I know my facts. He gave up his exciting extra-curricular activities in 2003 and a newspaper that talked about his involvement in the present tense had to print a retraction. If "Jonathan" is a decent citizen concerned about immorality - as opposed to a cowardly smear merchant - then, presumably, he'll have no hesitation in revealing his identity.

[William Norton]

Reading this thread and some of its more diverse contributions I'm tempted to quote: Just rejoice at that news.

This is an inspired appointment by DC. There has recently been a dangerous outbreak of common sense and - if we're not careful - we could actually have some of the right people in the right jobs.

[Winston]

George Eustice went to a public school in Cornwall and then to agricultural college!

[Richard R]

I am a Conservative. That means I don't care what Danny Kruger's background is as long as he is good at his job.

[Richard]

"I think it is entirely reasonable to be concerned as to whether the leadership of any party comes from too narrow a background. If it does it runs the danger of becoming a narrow minded clique prone to group think."

Fair enough but the person who kicked it off used the word "posh" - that's always a sign of a chip on a shoulder.