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Sunday, Aug 16, 2026

Team Truss: 10 key people in PM’s inner circle

As Liz Truss begins work in No 10, she will be relying on several lieutenants already known to her

Liz Truss is heading into No 10 with an almost entirely new cast of staff, clearing out Boris Johnson’s often chaotic operation.

Here are some of the people already in her inner circle – and who are likely to be joining her in Downing Street:

Mark Fullbrook

Fullbrook is a political consultant allied to Lynton Crosby and a former senior Conservative official who has moved in party circles for decades. He was believed to be working for Nadhim Zahawi, but ended up as co-director of Truss’s campaign. He is tipped for a senior role as chief of staff or as more of a permanent campaign director.

Mark Fullbrook was co-director of Truss’s leadership campaign.


Ruth Porter

Porter is a former special adviser to Truss who is a managing director at FGS Global – a crisis management firm – and an alumna of the Institute of Economic Affairs. She became Truss’s co-campaign director over the summer and is likely to have a senior job in her inner circle.

Former campaign director Ruth Porter is likely to be rewarded with a senior job.


Adam Jones

Jones was one of Truss’s special advisers on media while she was foreign secretary. He is expected to be one of her communications directors.

Adam Jones, earmarked as one of Truss’s communications directors.


Simon McGee

McGee is a former government official and ex-journalist who worked for Boris Johnson’s Foreign Office operation. He is being lined up for a senior press role as a civil servant.

Simon McGee could step into a senior press role.


David Canzini

A former colleague of Crosby and Fullbrook, Canzini is one of the few members of Johnson’s No 10 operation who may be asked to stay on. He was brought in earlier this year to help professionalise the team with the backing of many pro-Brexit MPs.

David Canzini also worked for Boris Johnson.


Jason Stein

Stein worked for Truss when she was chief secretary to the Treasury, before becoming a special adviser to Amber Rudd and going on to work briefly for Prince Andrew and now for FGS Global. He has worked for Truss during the campaign and could be lined up for a strategy or policy job.

Jason Stein worked for Truss at the Treasury.


Sarah Ludlow

Ludlow is a special adviser to Truss who has worked on the media team during her campaign.

Sarah Ludlow worked on Truss’s leadership campaign.


Sophie Jarvis

Jarvis is another special adviser to Truss who worked on policy and liaison with MPs during the leadership campaign.

Sophie Jarvis also played a part in Truss’s winning campaign.


Sheridan Westlake

Westlake has worked on strategy in No 10 for every prime minister since David Cameron and is likely to be one of the few advisers kept on by Truss.

Truss will be the fourth prime minister Sheridan Westlake has worked for.


James Bowler

The permanent secretary at the Department for International Trade got on well with Truss when they were both in the Treasury. He is tipped to get the cabinet secretary job or the top civil service role in No 10.

James Bowler may be in line for top job.

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