TV debate coach who helped Rishi Sunak given £110,000 taxpayer-funded contract
A TV debate coach who helped Rishi Sunak has been given a £110,000 taxpayer-funded contract to train ministers.
Graham Davies, who calls himself “the Presentation Coach”, has been drafted in to improve their public speaking. Under the £9,166 per month contract, he will act as a “trusted advisor to ministers”, providing “direct advice and coaching” on public appearances.
Mr Davies coached Mr Sunak as he was trying to become a Tory MP and has helped him with big events such as party conference speeches. In an interview last year he said he’d taught the PM “debating techniques for the debates on television during the last general election”.
The first TV debate of the election campaign will be held on Tuesday night as Mr Sunak faces Keir Starmer head-to-head on ITV.
The 12-month taxpayer-funded contract was awarded to Mr Davies on May 22, which was the day the election was called. It is not known which ministers were intended to benefit from his services.
A number of serving Cabinet ministers have contributed testimonials for his website. Kemi Badenoch told him: “I did everything you said. You are the best presentation coach EVER! So many things you suggested were complimented on. Amazing work you did on me.”
Michael Gove described Mr Davies as “the single most gifted speech and presentation coach in the country.” “He is incomparably good. [His] advice on how to sharpen my content and delivery during key TV and Radio interviews was absolutely brilliant and absolutely crucial,’ he added.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: “Graham Davies has an exceptional understanding of the challenges of speech making. He also understands how to focus speech writing efforts to get the maximum results in the quickest time.”
A Cabinet Office spokeswoman said: “This tender went out earlier this year before the election was called. Graham Davies’ services are not being provided during the pre-election period.”
Mr Sunak desperately needs to land a knockout blow in Tuesday night’s TV debate, but even his own party appears to have given up hope. A Tory source said: “Rishi needs a game changer. But it won’t happen.” The pair will take part in a 70-minute head-to-head on ITV at 9pm. They will face questions from host Julie Etchingham as well as the audience, made up of members of the public.
A mega-poll of almost 60,000 people tonight showed Mr Starmer is on course for a landslide victory. The YouGov survey suggested the Tories could lose 225 of the seats they won in 2019, leaving them with just 140 MPs. Twelve Cabinet ministers face being booted out including Jeremy Hunt, Penny Mordaunt, Grant Shapps, Johnny Mercer and Esther McVey. Predicted casualties on the Tory backbenches include Jacob Rees-Mogg.
