Former Housing Minister Gavin Barwell appointed Theresa May's new chief of staff
2 min read
Former Housing Minister Gavin Barwell has been given a key role in Downing St just a day after losing his seat at the general election.
Mr Barwell will become Theresa May's chief of staff, taking the place of Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill, both of whom resigned in the wake of the Conservatives' disastrous general election performance.
The two aides were the subject of a tell-all article from former No 10 communications director Katie Perrior, who strongly criticised the way they had conducted themselves since Mrs May became Prime Minister.
Mr Barwell was elected as MP for Croydon Central in 2010 and served as a parliamentary private secretary to Michael Gove in the coalition government, before being appointed Housing Minister under Mrs May.
He saw his slim majority wiped out on Thursday night as Labour's Sarah Jones comfortably triumphed in the south London seat, winning by over 5,000 votes.
Before entering Parliament he spent 17 years working in a variety of roles in Conservative party headquarters.
'FIRST CLASS MINISTER'
"He has been a first class minister and is widely respected," Mrs May said in a statement yesterday.
"He will bring considerable experience of the party to the post. As I said yesterday, I want to reflect on the election and why it did not deliver the result I hoped for.
"Gavin will have an important role to play in that. I look forward to working with him."
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