Boris Johnson’s comms chief ‘applied for jobs with both Leave and Remain’ campaigns

The former journalist went on to play a prominent role in the Vote Leave campaign

Lee Cain told an old colleague he'd be ‘in a lot of trouble’ if anyone ever found out (Reuters)

Boris Johnson‘s communications chief applied for jobs on both the Leave and the Remain camps during the Brexit referendum, reports suggest.

Lee Cain, who is director of communications at Downing Street, was said to have told colleagues he applied for senior roles at both Vote Leave and Britain Stronger In Europe during the run up to the Brexit vote.

The former journalist was hired by the Brexit campaign as head of broadcast, before going on to hold roles at the Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs and the Foreign Office under Mr Johnson.

Mr Cain also worked on the prime minister’s Tory leadership campaign, accompanying him into No 10 after his victory last summer.

An old colleague from his time as a journalist told PR Week: “He told me: ‘I just want to get into politics. I’ve applied for two jobs and I’ve got one of them.

“I’ve applied for head of broadcast for ‘Remain’ and head of broadcast for ‘Leave’. If this ever comes out I’ll be in a lot of trouble.’

“At that point he had no experience or understanding of politics.”

His boss, Mr Johnson, famously drafted newspaper columns arguing for both Leave and Remain as he wrestled with which side to back in the Brexit debate.

David Chaplin, former director of strategic communications at Stronger In, said: “We were inundated with applications for press positions and built a very strong team.

“Lee Cain was never interviewed but he may well have applied and missed the cut.”

Neither Downing Street nor Mr Cain have responded to requests for comment.

Mr Cain was previously revealed to have dressed up in a giant chicken costume to taunt politicians during the 2010 general election, while working as a journalist for The Mirror.

The Mirror Chicken, a longstanding tradition on Fleet Street, appears whenever the paper feels politicians are ducking scrutiny.