David Cameron’s former spin doctor will make massive £50k a NIGHT as public speaker
FORMER No10 spin boss Sir Craig Oliver has sparked fury by signing up to a £50,000 per night speaker agency just weeks after quitting Downing Street.
Our revelation came as it emerged former Chancellor George Osborne has also sought permission to join the lucrative after dinner speaker circuit in the US, despite still serving as an MP in Westminster.
Sir Craig — David Cameron’s chief spin doctor and Project Fear Mastermind — has signed up with Kruger Cowne, who are billing him as a star client and charging their highest price tag for speeches and appearances.
The agency’s website boasts that Sir Craig – knighted in David Cameron’s controversial leaving honours – was a “key figure in the Campaign to Remain in the EU” so can explain “what went wrong”.
Promoting their star turn online, Kruger boast that during his time as No.10’s key man Sir Craig “faced a news revolution, which went beyond a 24/7 environment to one of 360 degree news”.
Other clients on the site earning up to £50,000 had prices publicly available on the website, but the agency insisted on Sir Craig’s price only being made available “on request”.
Sir Craig has already signed a book deal and pocketed a bumper £70,000 golden goodbye – after the former PM doubled the pay-off as he walked out the door.
Labour’s Tom Watson hit out: “It didn’t take long for Cameron’s cronies to start cashing in on their time in government.”
The Labour Deputy Leader blasted: “Sir Craig Oliver was the man behind the PR strategy for the campaign to Remain in the EU, which completely failed.
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Brexit backing UKIP MP Douglas Carswell told The Sun: “I’m amazed that anyone would pay £50 to hear Craig Oliver’s pearls of wisdom, let alone £50,000.
“Then again perhaps some of the big corporates and banks that funded the Remain campaign will cough up by way of thanking him for his support."
It emerged today that George Osborne had informed the Cabinet Office he intends to make paid speeches “on the current political environment”.
Under strict laws on what Ministers can do within two years of quitting, the former Chancellor was granted permission to work for the lucrative Washington Speaker’s Bureau — but only after a cooling off period of three months.