May appoints BBC journalist as No10 communications chief
Robbie Gibb, head of the BBC political team at Westminster, is becoming No10's communications director
Theresa May has drafted in a senior BBC journalist as her new communications chief as she fights to get her government back on track.
Robbie Gibb, head of the corporation's political team at Westminster, is taking on the role at Downing Street.
Tories are hoping that the new recruit can draw a line under the chaos that followed the election disaster, which saw Mrs May lose her overall majority.
The past month has been dominated by recriminations over the campaign and Mrs May's performance.
There has also been a bitter spat within Cabinet over the prospect of relaxing austerity, widely seen as one of the drivers of Labour's better-than-expected showing.Â
There is speculation over how long Mrs May can cling on as premier - although she has effectively shored up her government's majority by forging an alliance with the DUP's 10 MPs.
No10 has been hollowed out of key staff by a combination of a long-running turf war and the fallout from the election.
The communications director post has been vacant since Katie Perrior quit in April, when the contest was announced.
She has since spoken of the 'toxic' influence of Mrs May’s joint chiefs of staff - Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill - who have now resigned along with a slew of other key aides.
Theresa May (pictured arriving for the G20 summit in Hamburg last night) has been fighting to get her premiership back on track amid recriminations over the campaign
Mrs May's top aides Nick Timothy and Fiona Hill have resigned after carrying the can for a 'toxic' atmosphere in No10 and dire election campaign
The director of communications, like the press secretary, is a political appointment, but involves less day-to-day contact with reporters and the media. Mr Gibb’s post is more strategic.
It is separate from the civil service role of the PM's official spokesman.Â
Mr Gibb is a well known and respected figure at Westminster, having edited the Daily Politics and Sunday Politics programmes.
Mr Gibb - the brother of Schools Minister Nick Gibb - wrote on Twitter: ‘I am pleased to announce I will be leaving the BBC to join the Prime Minister, Theresa May, as her new Director of Communications.’
A BBC message to staff said Robbie Gibb had acc epted the job advising the prime minister and would leave the corporation after 23 years.
Mr Gibb is a well-known and respected figure at Westminster, having edited the BBC's Daily and Sunday Politics shows. He is pictured (left) taking part in a charity parliamentary pancake race with politicians in 2014
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