Astle and Grender's interim Number 10 jobs
Julian Astle, the former director of CentreForum – the think-tank most closely aligned with the Liberal Democrats – is heading to Number 10 on a maternity-cover contract.
Number 10
Astle, who left CentreForum earlier this year after five years as a director (PAN, June), is scheduled to start in January as interim deputy director of strategy. The vacancy has materialised because Polly Mackenzie, one of deputy PM and Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg’s top aides, is going on maternity leave.
Astle is the second Lib Dem confirmed recently as heading into Number 10 on a maternity-cover contract: Olly Grender has just started as acting deputy director of comms, covering for Lena Pietsch. Grender, a former Lib Dem comms director, is a popular media pundit who recently had a stint working for lobbying firm PLMR.
10th October 2011 by PAN staff
