No. 10’s charm offensive steps up a gear

Since the new chief of staff Dan Rosenfield arrived in Downing Street, there has been a renewed effort to reach out to the parliamentary party. Each week, a member of the No. 10 team hold a Zoom call with Tory MPs — with attendance usually upwards of 50 MPs. Some have likened the Q&A to therapy sessions — working through previous trauma from the Vote Leave regime when the parliamentary party would regularly complain that they felt ignored.

After cancelling last week, this Tuesday it was the turn of political secretary Ben Gascgoine and No. 10 political unit’s Declan Lyons. The pair began by telling MPs on the call that they wanted to listen more to what they had to say — thereby allowing them to make sure the No. 10 political operation was more in tune with party views. Both said they were happy for MPs to have their mobile numbers and contact them as and when they wished.