During my time as a minister, I was well served by my civil servants and I felt no need to bring in a pack of outside advisers. Even as Secretary of State for Trade and Industry I had only two outside advisers: Michael Dobbs who kept me in touch with Conservative Central Office, and Jeffrey Sterling who kept me abreast of what was going on in the City.

Neither of them had a desk in the Department. They asked to see me if they had something which they thought I should know and I called them if I needed their advice. Equally I was free to consult anyone outside government whenever I wished.

Of course the Prime Minister, with far wider responsibilities, consulted far more widely outside the ranks of the professional civil service and the Chancellor too felt the need to talk to economists and the like.

There is also a natural tension between the Prime Minister and his advisers and the Chancellor and his, since No 10 is a spending department whilst at No 11 they have the task of taxing or borrowing to provide the money.

That is why the former Chancellor Savid Javid had no choice but to resign when he was told by Mr Dominic Cummings that he had no right to have his own independent advisers. The Prime Minister's adviser went beyond his role as an adviser when he ordered the Chancellor to sack his own advisers to make room for the appointees of Mr Cummings.