NICK Clegg has lost his top economic adviser just weeks before the government unveils its Budget, City A.M. has learned.
Chris Saunders, who was employed by the deputy Prime Minister on a salary of £60,000 a year, quit his special adviser’s post on Friday and is currently away travelling with his wife.
His departure means Clegg is without an economic adviser in the run up to the Budget on 21 March, leading to fears the party could struggle to influence government policy.
A government spokesman said: “After the best part of a decade working for the Liberal Democrats, Chris has left to travel the world. His replacement will be announced in due course.”
In 2010, Saunders was named in embassy cables sent by the US ambassador to Hillary Clinton, which were leaked by Wikileaks.
The cables revealed that while in opposition Saunders had planned to run a fierce anti-Cameron campaign, describing him as “out of touch with real life”. He dropped the plan after the death of Cameron’s son Ivan.
Saunders could not be reached yesterday. His voicemail said: “I have now left my job and will be out of the country until August.”
