The Conservatives sprang a surprise yesterday by appointing the former News of the World editor Andy Coulson as their chief spin-doctor.

Mr Coulson, who resigned from the Sunday tabloid after the royal phone-tapping scandal, is to be the Tories’ director of communications and planning.

He quit in January after one of his journalists, Clive Goodman, was sentenced to four months in jail for hacking into messages on royal phones.

Mr Coulson said at the time that he took “ultimate responsibility” after Mr Goodman, the royal editor, admitted conspiracy to tap messages, including some from Prince William.

Mr Coulson, 38, had been running the paper for four years. He is a former showbiz reporter for The Sun. He will take up his new position with the Tories on July 9.

As David Cameron brought in a journalist it was confirmed that Gordon Brown would be appointing a career civil servant – Michael Ellam – to be his official spokesman in No 10.

Mr Ellam, who worked for Kenneth Clarke before spending the last ten years working for Mr Brown at the Treasury, will handle daily lobby briefings when Mr Brown succeeds Mr Blair.

A Tory spokesman said Mr Coulson would give the Conservative press operation the extra “horsepower” it needed in the run-up to the next general election. His job will involve day-to-day contact with editors and senior commentators and dealing with long-term strategy.

A spokesman said: “We are not looking for an Alastair Campbell figure – his reliance on spin and aggressive media management has been discredited.”

Mr Coulson’s is a new post. George Eustice will continue to be Mr Cameron’s personal press secretary.

A Tory spokesman denied that Mr Coulson’s job would involve building bridges with Tory-supporting newspapers and columnists who have recently attacked Mr Cameron’s education policy.

A spokesman said that the party was satisfied that Mr Coulson was not to blame for the royal phones scandal. The Press Complaints Commission found no evidence that he was aware of the illegal activities.

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