Briefing from the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman on: Paul Boateng and Budget.
Paul Boateng
Asked who approached whom on the Paul Boateng appointment and whether Paul Boateng had approached the Prime Minister to seek a post after political life, the Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) said, as he had described it this morning, it was a happy coincidence of interest and opportunity. The Prime Minister as always made these appointments, but people should recognise that Paul Boateng had long held an interest in and had experience in African issues which had been boosted by his experience of working with the Commission for Africa. Therefore given the timing this would be a significant post to help try to promote and realise the goals as set out in the Commission for Africa report. As such he was the right man in the right place at the right time. Asked what evidence there was of his long history working on African issues the PMOS said that he had, going through the years, known a lot of the players and shown an interest in the subject, not only in his Government role but in other roles as well. Asked when he last went to Africa the PMOS said that he did not know but was sure that Paul Boateng’s Office would be happy to tell them.
Asked if, as suggested by the Evening Standard, that Paul Boateng was unqualified and whether patronage was election dependent the PMOS referred journalists to the Foreign Office press notice that stated that it was dependent on the re-election of this administration. Asked why the appointment was not being made now and what was happening to the current guy the PMOS said that Paul Boateng had chosen to stand down at the next election and the "current guy" was in fact a woman, Ann Grant, who was a very professional and distinguished diplomat and there was a happy coincidence in that she was retiring at the same time as this appointment was being made.
Budget
Asked if the Prime Minister and Chancellor would be meeting face to face over the next few days the PMOS said that, as you would expect, the usual communications had and would take place.
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