Salma Shah
Salma Shah | |
|---|---|
| Occupations | commentator, special adviser |
Ommasalma Shah (born July 1984) is a British political commentator and consultant known professionally as Salma Shah. She worked as special adviser to former Tory Home Secretary Sajid Javid[1][2][3] for five years covering four different departments.
She has been a director of Kraken Strategy Limited since 2019, and is a Policy Fellow alumnus of Centre for Science and Policy.[2][3] She is also a Trustee of the think tank Policy Exchange.[4][3]
Early life
Shah was born in July 1984 in the United Kingdom to immigrant parents from Pakistan and India.
Career
Salma worked for Sir Alan Duncan who was then a member of the Conservative Party Shadow Cabinet as an adviser[5] and then a press officer for the Conservative Party. From 2014, she was a producer at the BBC helping to produce Today programme on Radio 4.[6] Shah worked as a special adviser in the Conservative government, specialising in public policy.[7][8]
She worked for Sajid Javid across four Government departments. She started working for him at the Department of Culture Media and Sport[9] The Department for Business Innovation and Skills and The Ministry for Housing and Local Government[10] She held an important role as an adviser to Sajid Javid when he was in office as Home Secretary.[11]
She departed from government in 2019, when Boris Johnson became Prime Minister.[12]
She then worked in the private sector for Portland Communications.[13] In 2022, she joined Mitie as a non-executive director and as a prominent political commentator in the media,[14] she has also been a commentator on police reform and English devolution.[15][16] Shah has been awarded for her role as a company board director winning the Sunday Times Non-Executive Director to Watch award in 2024[17] She is a fellow of the Centre for Science and Policy.[18]
In her post-Government career, Salma was a columnist for the Independent The Independent.[19]
Shah is a regular panellist on shows including Sophy Ridge on Sunday[20] Good Morning Britain,[21] Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg and BBC Politics Live.[22] She appeared on Have I Got News for You on 10 October 2025.[23]
Personal life
Her husband Andrew Smith served as lord mayor of Westminster from 2021 to 2022[24]
References
- ^ "Salma Shah". CSaP – Centre for Science and Policy. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
- ^ a b "Salma Shah". Centre for Science and Policy. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ^ a b c "KRAKEN STRATEGY LTD people - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2025-10-11.
- ^ "Policy Exchange Ltd Trustees". charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 6 January 2026.
- ^ "Alan Duncan rants about 'idiot' parliamentary colleagues and Britain's waning influence".
- ^ "Salma Shah – Author page". The Independent. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
- ^ "Ex-Tory adviser says relationship between ministers and civil servants is 'dysfunctional'". Sky News. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ^ "The youth vote: 'If you don't do politics, politics will do you'". www.bbc.com. 2024-07-03. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ^ "Salma Shah – Author page". The Independent. Retrieved 26 September 2025.
- ^ "heylo's leadership team". Heylo Housing.
- ^ Manji, Fatima (2019-11-30). "Former Conservative Special Adviser Salma Shah: 'People in politics playing the blame game' over attack". Channel 4 News. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ^ "Home Office: business appointment rules advice, January to March 2021". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ^ "Britain's political power couples — ranked". POLITICO. 2022-02-14. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ^ Turner, Millie (2022-03-29). "Boardroom shuffle: Mitie ushers in BT executive and former government adviser". City AM. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ^ "Power to the people". Institute for Government. 2024-12-21. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ^ "'There is a problem with the Met Police' says Sajid Javid's former Special Adviser". Sky News. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ^ "Storytelling is key to success for Mitie's special adviser". Sunday Times. 2024-03-23. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ^ "Salma Shah". Centre for Science and Policy. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ^ "Salma Shah". TheIndependent. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ^ "The PM's cabinet meeting is 'exceptionally unusual' says Salma Shah, former Conservative special adviser". Sky News. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ^ Watson, Shivon (2024-11-08). "ITV GMB viewers 'switch off' as they're left frustrated by 'shouty' debate". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ^ "BBC One - Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg - Previous Guests". BBC. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ^ "BBC One - Have I Got News for You, Series 70, Episode 2". BBC. 2025-10-10. Retrieved 2025-10-01.
- ^ "Salma Shah – Leadership profile". Heylo Housing. Retrieved 26 September 2025.