About Us

Press Officer contact details and areas of responsibility.

The Home Office press office deals with enquiries from the media on all aspects of the department's work.

Director of Communications

The director of communications for the Home Office is Yasmin Diamond.

Head of News

The head of news is Simon Wren C.B.E: 020 7035 3833

• Deputy Head of News, Scot Marchbank: 020 7035 1141
• Press Secretary to Home Secretary: Bron Madson 020 7035 3846
• Personal Assistant, Kay Featherstone: 020 7035 3863 

Press Secretary to Home Secretary: Bron Madson 020 7035 3846

Newsdesk & Support

Assistant Director: Ray Tang:  020 7035 3854

Newsdesk

The newsdesk is the first point of contact for media on all breaking news and major developments.

It also handles:

• interview requests
• requests for facts, figures, statements, statistics
• diary information
• cross-cutting issues
• specialist areas including: mass fatalities, animal testing, extradition and mutual legal assistance

Staff on this desk include:

• Senior Press Officer, Gayle Douglas: 020 7035 3535
• Caroline Jack: 020 7035 3535
• Richard Knight: 020 7035 3535
• Eva Perkins: 020 7035 3535
• Simon Barrett: 020 7035 3535
• Vacant: 020 7035 3535
• Nick Logan: 020 7035 3535
• Tim Matthews: 020 7035 3535
• Ellen Miller: 020 7035 3535
• Polo Guilbert-Wright:020 7035 3535
• Andrew Bell:020 7035 3535
• Darjinda Rhana:020 7035 3535
• Joanne Foster:020 7035 3535

Admin desk

Office Manager, Stephen Hadley: 020 7035 3864
Adam Murcutt: 020 7035 3862 

Strategy & Media Engagement

Assistant Director, Peter Wilson: 020 7035 3827

Strategy and international desk

Strategic planning, co-ordination of cross-cutting issues, corporate communications and long term forward planning. Also Home Office international business including justice and home affairs in the European Union.

Staff on this desk include:

• Senior Press Officer, Robert Hall: 020 7035 3859
• Senior Press Officer, Kate Williams: 020 7035 3858
• Nisar Hussian: 020 7035 3856
• Vacant: 020 7035 3857

Media engagement team

Proactive work and features with long lead media; consumer and lifestyle magazines; BME media; non-news broadcast; online media; regional media.

Staff on this desk include:

• Senior Press Officer, Vacant: 020 7035 3827
• Jamie Hamill: 020 7035 6835
• Taryna Surtees: 020 7035 3825
• Hazel Gidley 020 7035 3850

Policing, security, crime and community safety

Assistant Director, Lisa Lee: 020 7035 3840

Policing and security desk

The policing and security desk supplies briefings and interviews on:

• police policy and reform
• counter-terrorism
• organised crime
• football disorder
• the Security Service (MI5)
• HM Inspectorate of Constabulary

Staff on this desk include:

• Senior Press Officer, Richard Warburton: 020 7035 3823
• Olympic Security SIO: Zoe Paxton: 020 7035 3836
• Janine Lloyd-Jones: 020 7035 3848
• Jon Tunney: 020 7035 3830
• Carolyn Armstrong: 020 7035 3852

Crime and community safety desk

The community safety desk supplies briefings and interviews on crime reduction and community safety, including:

• action against drugs
• anti-social behaviour
• violent crime
• firearms
• crime statistics

Staff on this desk include:

• Senior Press Officer, Toby Nation: 020 7035 3832
• David Langton: 020 7035 3835
• SIO (Justice Seen, Justice Done) Kerry Taylor: 020 7035 3831
• Sam Matthews: 020 7035 3844
• Sam Eversden: 020 7035 3849
• Nadia Ramsey: 020 7035 3825

Immigration and Identity & Vetting

Assistant Director, Wendy Fielder: 020 7035 3815

Immigration desk

The immigration desk supplies briefings and interviews on all aspects of immigration policy, including:

• asylum
• work permits
• UK Border Agency
• immigration removal centres
• nationality and citizenship

Staff on this desk include:

• Senior Press Officer, Matt Laddin: 020 7035 3829
• Stephen Rosenthal: 020 7035 3821
• Rhiannon Spellman: 020 7035 3817
• Cubby Fox: 020 7035 3820
• Matt Jackson: 020 7035 3816
• Jamie Davies: 020 7035 3820

UK Border Agency(UKBA) Regional Press Officers

Assistant Director Regions; Rachel Yeomans 020 7035 3824

• Senior Press Officer London and South East, Stephen Carter: 01275 841504
• London & South East- Sian Freestone-Walker: 020 8760 8050
• London and South East- Adam Edwards:020 8814 5252
• London and South East: Bev Morgan 01304 664826
• Midlands & East- Simon Ballinger: 0121 713 3338
• Stanstead-Toby Allamson: 01279 336956
• Senior Press Office, North: Mike Burrell 020 7035 3819
• Wales & South West- Chris Herdman: 02920 924665
• North West- Vida Bromby-Tavenner: 0161 261 1099
• North West-Karen O'Brien:0151 237 0423
• North East, Yorkshire and Humber- Richard Shrubb: 0114 207 2844
• North East,Yorkshire and Humber: Ben Guy 0191 376 2857
• Scotland and Northern Ireland- Carla Franchitti: 0141 555 1231 
• Scotland and Northern Ireland: Kieran Ougan 0289 0191017

Identity & Vetting desk

Specialist media planning, facilities, briefings and interviews on ID Cards, the Identity & Passport Service, the National Identity Scheme, and the Criminal Records Bureau.

Staff on this desk include:

• Senior Press Officer: Alison MacLeod: 020 7035 3839
• Vacant: 020 7035 3819
• Philip Skelton:020 7035 3851
• Marianne Taylor: 020 7035 3853

Please note: responsibility for criminal justice and offender management rest with the Ministry of Justice (new window).  

See also

• Find a press release
• View latest speeches