Sun political editor George Pascoe-Watson has left journalism after 22 years with the News International red-top to enter the world of political lobbying and PR.
He has been political editor since December 2005 after several years being groomed for the top job by his predecessor in the role Trevor Kavanagh.
Pascoe-Watson’s shoes at The Sun are now going to be filled by the paper’s defence correspondent Tom Newton Dunn.
He is joining Portland PR as a partner. The company boasted last night in a press release that Pascoe-Watson had, as political editor, been invited by Conservative leader David Cameron to give private briefings to the Shadow Cabinet on their media strategy.
Pascoe-Watson will now advise on media and public affairs issues and write a political insight column for Portland clients.
Portland was founded by former adviser to Tony Blair Tim Allan in 2001.
Portland says that it uses its “knowledge of Westminster, Whitehall, Fleet Street and beyond to ensure our clients get their messages across to the audiences that matter”.
It says: “Portland’s strength is in explaining complex and often controversial issues to key decision-makers and opinion-formers. We understand the interplay between politics and the media and can advise our clients on how to develop and implement strategies to communicate effectively to all their key audiences.”
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