Rishi Sunak’s director of communications has quit her role after less than a year in the job and with a general election fast approaching.

Amber de Botton, who had a decade-long career as a broadcast journalist at ITV and Sky News, was hired by the prime minister as his top spin doctor a few days after he entered Downing Street.

Ms de Botton served as a special adviser, who give political advice to ministers and defend the government’s actions and criticise opposition parties.

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, Ms de Botton said: “It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as the prime minister’s director of communications but I have decided it is the right time to move on.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the prime minister for his support and his leadership.

“The team he has built around him is dedicated and focused because those are the qualities he inspires.

“I also want to thank my colleagues – No 10 is a demanding and high pressure place to work – yet the professionalism and talent they display every day is exceptional.”

Ms de Botton was deputy head of politics at Sky News for five years until 2017 and then worked at ITV News as head of politics, and later as the broadcaster’s head of news.

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Her resignation comes a day after Mr Sunak carried out a minor reshuffle in which Grant Shapps replaced Ben Wallace as defence secretary following the latter’s decision to resign.

The reshuffle also saw Claire Coutinho promoted to energy secretary, to replace Mr Shapps.

The next general election is widely tipped to take place next autumn.

The latest the government can hold one is January 2025.