Dugher to advise chief whip Hoon

Michael Dugher joined EDS, the Government’s biggest IT contractor, in June last year. Before that, he served as an aide to Hoon in the latter’s capacity as defence secretary and leader of the Commons.

Dugher said: ‘The chance of going back to work for Geoff Hoon – at the very centre of Gordon Brown’s new Government - was too good an opportunity to turn down.’

Dugher will be based in the chief whip’s office at 12 Downing Street. Under the Blair regime, this address was used to house the PM’s press office and strategic communications unit.