Strathclyde Police communications boss Rob Shorthouse headhunted for top referendum campaign role
The director of corporate communications at Strathclyde Police, Rob Shorthouse, has been headhunted for a £100,000 role at Better Together, the 'No' campaign in the forthcoming independence referendum, according to media reports.
The Herald reports today: “The appointment of Rob Shorthouse is seen as a statement of intent by the campaign and a clear sign that money will be no object when it comes to defending the Union.”
It quotes a source at Better Together as saying: "From our point of view his experience and background is outstanding, with an ability to reach beyond many of the usual message-carriers and across all parts of Scotland."
Shorthouse was first appointed to the communications directorate at St Andrew's House in 2001 and swiftly rose through the ranks to become a senior communications officer for Jack McConnell as First Minister.
More recently he was seconded to be head of media and public relations for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games bid team in 2006, and he became the Scottish Football Association's head of communications in 2007.
In 2009 Strathclyde Police's Chief Constable Stephen House appointed him as director of corporate communications.