Top civil servant to replace Campbell

A POWERFUL civil servant with permanent secretary rank is to take charge of the British government's new communications strategy, Downing Street announced yesterday today.

The deputy to the new chief will act as British Prime Minister Tony Blair's senior spokesman and will head all civil service aspects of No 10's communications unit.

The new director of communications at No 10, ex-Labour press chief David Hill, will oversee all political aspects of the media unit and brief cabinet ministers as well as special advisers.

But he will not have the powers to give orders to civil servants enjoyed by his predecessor Alastair Campbell, whose resignation was announced last week.

The changes have been based on the interim report from the Phillis Review, set up to examine government communications in the wake of the Jo Moore email fiasco.

Mr Tony Blair wrote to the review head, Guardian newspaper executive Bob Phillis, yesterday confirming he would accept the recommendations.

Mr Blair also specifically asked Mr Phillis to look at whether daily government media briefings should be televised and asked him to examine the "role and responsibilities" of reporters in the next phase of his

review which covers wider aspects of the Government Information and Communications Service.

Mr Blair also asked Mr Phillis's group to report on any relevant findings resulting from the Hutton Inquiry into the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly.

The First Division Association, which represents senior civil servants including heads of information, welcomed the shake-up.

General secretary Jonathan Baume said: "These changes are very welcome and fully recognise the importance of professionalism in government communications.

"They uphold the values of the Government Information and Communication Service, which has been part of the civil service for over 50 years.

"There is tremendous public trust in the integrity and impartiality of the civil service, and the prime minister has recognised the need for the civil service to be seen to lead government communications. "The clear but restricted role for the new director of communications David Hill clarifies the lines of accountability and ensures that overarching leadership of government information lies with the civil service, as it should."