Former Daily Mail political editor James Slack has been appointed as the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson, Number 10 has confirmed.
Slack replaces Helen Bower, who had held the position since May 2015 and is now taking up a new role as director of communications in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
While at the Mail, Slack’s achievements included working on the paper’s successful three-year campaign to stop Aspergers sufferer Gary McKinnon being extradited to the United States.
He was thanked by McKinnon’s mother, along with Mail editor Paul Dacre and fellow journalist Michael Seamark, for standing up for her son.
Ex Daily Express journalist Greg Swift has also moved from his role as the Prime Minister’s deputy spokesperson to take on a new position within the Department for Exiting the European Union.
Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog