The Tory-baiting Mirror chicken has been hired as Boris Johnson’s chief spin doctor.

Former reporter Lee Cain dressed as our bird to taunt Tories in 2010. But he is now a force in No10. One ex-colleague said: “It’s hard to believe.”

Cain has been appointed to the key strategic role of Director of Communications - a role held by Alistair Campbell during Tony Blair ’s tenure as PM.

The 38-year-old, who as our chicken taunted David Cameron and his Tory chums as they ducked questions in the run-up to the 2010 general election, has landed the Director of Communications job.

He climbed inside the iconic outfit to taunt David Cameron and the Tories at several events around the 2010 General Election.

At one point he was pictured being led away by police as Mr Cameron and his wife Samantha looked on in the background.

He even visited a polling station on election day in 2010 while dressed in the chicken suit – although it is not clear who he backed.

(Image: IAN VOGLER/DAILY MIRROR)

(Image: IAN VOGLER/DAILY MIRROR)

Cain was based at the Mirror HQ in London’s Canary Wharf and worked on our coverage of the 2010 election when he eagerly agreed to wear the famous Mirror Chicken costume.

One former colleague said: “Lee was actually a great Mirror Chicken.

“He attacked the role with real zeal and a great passion.

“The newsdesk were so impressed with his work he was used on a number of occasions.

“I vividly remember him coming in to the newsroom and prancing around still in his full outfit like a rooster.

“It’s hard to believe that a man with his past of taunting the cowardly Tories is now such a powerful figure inside No 10.”

Mr Cain, 38, made his name pushing the pro-Leave message and will now help Mr Johnson to get a no-deal Brexit .

In reports at the weekend Cain - known as “Caino” - was referred to as a “evil genius” inside Number 10.

The ruthless political spin doctor role was satirised in hit BBC comedy The Thick of It, where Peter Capaldi played foul-mouthed Malcolm Tucker. The character was said to be partly influenced by Alistair Campbell, Tony Blair’s communications chief.

Now the former Mirror Chicken will have a key role to play as Boris plans to leave the European Union by October 31st.

(Image: Daily Mirror)

(Image: Ben Cawthra/LNP)

It is not known how much he will be paid, but the PM once described his own £250,000 second salary for writing a newspaper column as “chickenfeed” so he should be OK.

His job is to control the flow of information about No Deal planning and make sure everyone working in government press offices sticks with the Government’s “upbeat” messaging.

Back during the 2010 election Mr Cain wrote for the Daily Mirror under the headline “Thousands Poll-axed. The Scandal”.

His report described how voters in marginal seats were controversially being turned away from polling stations.

Mr Cain wrote: “Gordon Brown was said to be furious at the increasing numbers saying they are not allowed to vote.

“His spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister is very concerned by the reports and would support a thorough investigation.”

Mr Cain added: “ Labour deputy leader Harriet Harman and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson raised the possibility of US-style legal challenges where voters in the queues were turned away.”

A Mirror leader article in the same paper as Mr Cain’s piece said: “The Tories have dramatically regressed into their cocoon of privilege and self-interest.

“And the Labour Party have bravely held the line, emphasising fairness, promoting tolerance and warning against the fiscal outrages lurking in the Tory plans.

Before working at the Mirror he was a reporter on the Gloucester Citizen.

He worked there until 2008.

Mr Cain joined the paper in 2006 where worked as the Abbeymead and Abbeydale patch reporter and spent almost two years covering city issues.

Best of the Mirror Chicken (Image: Rowan Griffiths) View gallery

After leaving Fleet Street he had a number of jobs and was head of broadcast for the Vote Leave campaign.

After the referendum campaign, Mr Cain joined the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under Andrea Leadsom and then Michael Gove .

Mr Cain was hired by Mrs May in 2017, only a few months before being poached by Mr Johnson to become his chief media spokesperson at the Foreign Office.

Cain is said to be an “experienced and a figure trusted by Brexiteers”.

The Mirror chicken was hatched for the 1997 election when PM John Major kept ducking debates.

It has been sticking its beak in where it’s not wanted ever since to expose political cowardice.

And there seems to be no shortage of it still.

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Mr Johnson chickened out of facing the public in Edinburgh on Monday after a meeting with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

He was jeered when he arrived by an angry crowd and later left by the back door rather then face them.