One of the former members of the Grammy-winning band Clean Bandit, Neil Amin-Smith, has been appointed as a senior Special Adviser to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Amin-Smith, 36, began his political career in 2019 after being part of Clean Bandit along with Grace Chatto and brothers Jack and Luke Patterson. Clean Bandit, a British electronic music group formed in 2008, gained popularity with their hit song “Rather Be,” featuring Jess Glynne.
Prior to the band’s success, Amin-Smith obtained an MPhil in Economics, which later led him to work as a research economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies before joining the Treasury in 2019. Amin-Smith initially served as a senior policy adviser, collaborating with Rachel Reeves on policy matters related to the City of London for the Labour Party.
Described as “unusually gorgeous” and “quite stylish” by a Treasury official, Amin-Smith’s transition from a popstar to a political figure has been characterized by a quiet and confident demeanor. Despite considering job offers from the Foreign Office and MI6 before Clean Bandit’s breakthrough, Amin-Smith expressed contentment with his musical path. However, he later became known as Reeves’ “most trusted special adviser.”
Following Reeves’ replacement as Chancellor by John Healey, Amin-Smith’s presence has been noted at 10 Downing Street, where he has been appointed to a Special Adviser role by Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Healey recently announced that his upcoming Budget on October 28 will prioritize decentralizing power and funds across different regions of the UK while ensuring fiscal discipline to support businesses and families for future planning.
In other government changes under Prime Minister Burnham, Ed Miliband has assumed the role of Foreign Secretary, and Wes Streeting has taken charge of the Ministry of Defence.
