Jonathan Caine, currently a director at Bell Pottinger Public Affairs, is to re-join the Conservative team as chief of staff to the shadow Northern Ireland secretary, Owen Paterson. The appointment runs from December to the general election.
Commenting, Peter Bingle, chairman of Bell Pottinger Public Affairs, said:
“We are very sorry to be losing Jonathan over the next few months, but very proud that he has been asked by David Cameron and Owen Paterson to carry out this important task in Northern Ireland. He has been an excellent friend and colleague over the past 2 ½ years at BPPA and we wish him every success.”
Jonathan Caine said:
“This is a great opportunity for me and I am immensely privileged to have been asked by David and Owen to do it. Anyone who knows me understands my passionate commitment to Northern Ireland. I am also grateful to Tim Bell and Peter Bingle for agreeing to release me to do this job. BPPA is a great place to work, with a terrific bunch of people. They are the best in the business.”
Owen Paterson, shadow Northern Ireland secretary, said:
“Jonathan is widely acknowledged in Westminster as one of the foremost experts on Northern Ireland politics. David and I are therefore extremely pleased that he is coming on board as, along with Reg Empey, we seek to build our new political force of Conservatives and Unionists and bring Northern Ireland back into the mainstream of UK politics. We are also grateful to Tim Bell and Peter Bingle for agreeing to let him go.”
ENDS
For more information contact Peter Bingle, Bell Pottinger Public Affairs on 020 7861 2403.
NOTES:
Jonathan Caine joined Bell Pottinger Public Affairs in March 2007. Prior to that he was Assistant Director in the Conservative Research Department for 8 ½ years specialising in Northern Ireland and a range of other subjects. He was special adviser to two secretaries of state for Northern Ireland from 1991-5.
