DAVID Frost, the Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association is set become a Tory Special Adviser for Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.
The news comes just days after the SWA were defeated in the Court of Session in their attempt to prevent the Scottish Government introducing a minimum price for alcohol. Frost was a career diplomat, and had served as British Ambassador to Denmark, before taking over the SWA top job in January 2014, where he found himself in one of Scotland’s most prominent trade positions during the independence referendum and the vote on the UK’s membership of the EU. The whisky boss was a staunch Remainer, though said he would not be a “catastrophist” if Britain voted to leave.
SWA deputy chief executive Julie Hesketh-Laird will take over Frost’s role until a new chief executive is appointed.
Frost said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as chief executive and I want to thank SWA members and my team for their support.”
SWA chairman Pierre Pringuet, who is vice-president of Pernod Ricard, said: “David has successfully modernised the association during a challenging time for the industry both economically and politically.
“We have very much valued his leadership and I am confident he leaves the SWA in a good position to face the future.”
Though on the public purse, a special adviser is effectively a political position, helping ministers on matters where it would be inappropriate for permanent civil servants to become involved.
A recent House of Commons Library paper on special advisers said: “They provide assistance from a standpoint that is more politically committed and aware than would be available to a minister from the permanent Civil Service.
“The role of special advisers has been the subject of intense scrutiny for over a decade, with ongoing debate around the role and status of special advisers, and also their numbers and cost.”
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