Government figures reveal that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff is the highest-paid special adviser.
According to a Cabinet Office report, Morgan McSweeney’s salary falls between £155,000 and £159,999.
Nine senior government special advisers, often referred to as “spads,” occupy the next highest salary bracket, earning between £145,000 and £149,999.
Notable figures in this second-highest pay tier include National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell, No. 10’s Director of Strategic Communications James Lyons, and John Van Reenan, the Chancellor’s chief economic adviser.
Last year, the BBC reported that Sue Gray, Sir Keir’s former chief of staff, received a higher salary than the Prime Minister’s £166,786.
Gray resigned from her position, citing concerns that she “risked becoming a distraction,” and was succeeded by McSweeney, who previously served as chief adviser to the Prime Minister and spearheaded Labour’s general election campaign.
Details of Gray’s salary were leaked to the BBC amidst internal disagreements during the early months of the Labour administration, when the former senior civil servant became embroiled in internal disputes.
Reports indicated that some special advisers within the team were dissatisfied with requests to accept pay reductions.
The total expenditure on special advisers’ salaries for the fiscal year 2024/25 amounted to £16.7 million.
This figure included £3.1 million in severance costs, partially attributed to payments for outgoing advisers from the previous Conservative government.
As of March 31 of this year, the government employed 130 special advisers.
Salaries exceeding £76,000 are disclosed in £5,000 bands.
McSweeney was the sole individual within the £155,000 to £159,999 salary range.
Powell, a seasoned diplomat, was appointed as a special adviser last year, deviating from standard practice by assuming the role of national security adviser, typically held by a civil servant.