Wakefield-born Keelan Carr gets top job in Theresa May’s inner circle

The Yorkshireman grew up in Wakefield and attended Outwood Grange School, before securing a place at Oxford University in 2003 to study English.

His new role as Number 10’s director of research and messaging, will see him working closely with Mrs May on a daily basis, including briefing her ahead of all major public appearances.

Mr Carr initially joined the Prime Minister’s Downing Street team as a speechwriter in 2016 after gaining a reputation in Westminster for his writing talents and his knack for crafting political jokes.

He is credited with persuading the Prime Minister to tease Cabinet minister Matt Hancock in a 2018 speech to journalists, about an app he had created.

She said: “Other ministers are following his lead. The Boris Johnson app is great for extending your vocabulary, but it does contain some adult content.

“The Philip Hammond app is like a drier, less frivolous version of LinkedIn … tonight I can reveal that I am working on my own app. It provides GPS directions to your nearest wheatfield.”

A Downing Street insider told the Daily Mail: “He is one of the nicest and most modest people.”