Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff highest paid special adviser
A raft of other senior Number 10 advisers, also known as spads, occupy the next highest pay rung on salaries between £145,000 and £149,999, as well as the Chancellor's top economic adviser.
National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell is also within the same pay bracket.
Veteran diplomat Mr Powell was appointed as a special adviser in a political capacity last year, a break from the norm which saw previous post-holders taken on as civil servants.
Overall the pay bill for spads in the 2024/25 was £16.7 million, but this included £3.1 million in severance costs, which would have covered outgoing advisers from the previous Conservative government.
The salary bill was £9.5 million, lower than the £10 million spent in the previous year, while national insurance contributions have increased from £1.3 million to £1.6 million over the same period.
According to the Government's release, as of March 31 there were 130 special advisers across the Government.
Salaries over £76,000 are declared in bands of £5,000.
Mr McSweeney was the only person in the £155,000 to £159,999 band.
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