Andy Parsons photographed David Cameron on a trip to Norway in 2006 David Cameron has reversed his decision to employ a personal photographer and camerawoman at the taxpayers' expense.
The prime minister was criticised after Andy Parsons and Nicky Woodhouse were hired to take pictures and video of Mr Cameron and other government ministers.
A source has told the BBC that Mr Cameron now accepts it "sent the wrong message" to employ them at a time of public sector job cuts.
The pair will return to their jobs with the Conservative Party.
They will now have what is described as a "restricted" political role and neither will be replaced in government.
Ms Woodhouse formerly ran the Webcameron site, on which Mr Cameron, then leader of the opposition, gave his thoughts on the week's events.
Mr Parsons came to prominence during a trip to Norway in 2006, when Mr Cameron was photographed on a husky-drawn sled, as part of moves to highlight the Conservative Party's changing attitude to environmental issues.
Both were given government jobs on 1 November.
They were hired on short-term or fixed-term contracts, which allow the government to take on staff without publicly advertising positions.
Earlier this month, Labour leader Ed Miliband questioned whether it was "a wise judgement when [the prime minister] is telling everyone to tighten their belts, when he is putting his own, personal photographer on the civil service payroll".
Mr Cameron replied that the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition had reduced by "two thirds" the amount spent on communications since taking power from Labour in May.
Last week, the Financial Times reported that former Prime Minister Tony Blair had requested that an official photographer be employed by the Civil Service when he came to power in 1997.
But this was blocked by Cabinet Secretary Sir Richard Wilson as an unjustifiable use of taxpayers' money, it added.
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Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-politics-11764138
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