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Andy Parsons photographed David Cameron on a trip to Norway in 2006
Prime Minister David Cameron has come under fire from Labour for hiring a personal photographer paid for by taxpayers.
Labour leader Ed Miliband asked if it was a wise move at a time of national belt-tightening.
Mr Cameron ridiculed the question, saying: "Is this what his opposition leadership has been reduced to?"
Photographer Andy Parsons, who previously worked for the Conservative Party, has been made a civil servant.
Mr Parsons came to prominence during the then Conservative leader's trip to Norway in 2006 to investigate climate change.
He has since photographed Mr Cameron at home with wife Samantha and behind-the-scenes at party conferences and and in Downing Street, but there are places where he was restricted from working as a non-government employee.
He was appointed to the civil service role without internal competition and the post was not advertised, according to The Times.
Mr Miliband seized on the story at prime minister's questions, telling MPs: "I can't believe he is talking about hard choices this week - because who has he chosen to put on the civil service pay roll? His own personal photographer.
"There is good news for the prime minister - apparently he does a nice line in airbrushing."
Continuing the mockery, he said: "You can picture the cabinet photo - 'We are all in this together, just a little bit more to the right Nick'."
He added: "Is it really a wise judgement when he is telling everyone to tighten their belts when he is putting his own, personal photographer on the civil service payroll?"
A laughing Mr Cameron accused Mr Miliband of failing to "engage in the issues", adding that the coalition had cut by "two thirds" the amount Labour spent on communications, before adding a joke of his own at the expense of former prime minister Gordon Brown, who was once claimed to have thrown a mobile phone in anger.
"We will be spending a bit less on replacing mobile phones as well, in No 10 Downing Street," he told a noisy House of Commons.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt earlier defended the prime minister's right to have an official photographer paid for by taxpayers.
Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Radio 5 live, Mr Hunt said David Cameron should have an official photographer: "He is the prime minister of this country. He does need an official photographer. Of course he does. For goodness sake.
"It is for official duties, not private duties. He's not going with him on his holidays to Cornwall. It is for things like when the French President comes over.
"Times are tough but we do need someone who takes photographs at official occasions, I don't think that's unreasonable. To be honest, I think it is a totally reasonable thing."
Housing minister Grant Shapps said Mr Parsons told BBC 2's The Daily Politics: "That is not David Cameron's photographer, he is working for the whole of the cabinet."
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Andy Parsons photographed David Cameron on a trip to Norway in 2006 Prime Minister David Cameron has come under fire from Labour for hiring a personal photographer paid for by taxpayers.
Labour leader Ed Miliband asked if it was a wise move at a time of national belt-tightening.
Mr Cameron ridiculed the question, saying: "Is this what his opposition leadership has been reduced to?"
Photographer Andy Parsons, who previously worked for the Conservative Party, has been made a civil servant.
Mr Parsons came to prominence during the then Conservative leader's trip to Norway in 2006 to investigate climate change.
He has since photographed Mr Cameron at home with wife Samantha and behind-the-scenes at party conferences and and in Downing Street, but there are places where he was restricted from working as a non-government employee.
He was appointed to the civil service role without internal competition and the post was not advertised, according to The Times.
Mr Miliband seized on the story at prime minister's questions, telling MPs: "I can't believe he is talking about hard choices this week - because who has he chosen to put on the civil service pay roll? His own personal photographer.
"There is good news for the prime minister - apparently he does a nice line in airbrushing."
“Times are tough but we do need someone who takes photographs at official occasions, I don't think that's unreasonable”
Jeremy Hunt Culture Secretary He added: "Is it really a wise judgement when he is telling everyone to tighten their belts when he is putting his own, personal photographer on the civil service payroll?"
A laughing Mr Cameron accused Mr Miliband of failing to "engage in the issues", adding that the coalition had cut by "two thirds" the amount Labour spent on communications, before adding a joke of his own at the expense of former prime minister Gordon Brown, who was once claimed to have thrown a mobile phone in anger.
"We will be spending a bit less on replacing mobile phones as well, in No 10 Downing Street," he told a noisy House of Commons.
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt earlier defended the prime minister's right to have an official photographer paid for by taxpayers.
Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire on BBC Radio 5 live, Mr Hunt said David Cameron should have an official photographer: "He is the prime minister of this country. He does need an official photographer. Of course he does. For goodness sake.
"It is for official duties, not private duties. He's not going with him on his holidays to Cornwall. It is for things like when the French President comes over.
"Times are tough but we do need someone who takes photographs at official occasions, I don't think that's unreasonable. To be honest, I think it is a totally reasonable thing."
Housing minister Grant Shapps said Mr Parsons told BBC 2's The Daily Politics: "That is not David Cameron's photographer, he is working for the whole of the cabinet."
This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.