Sir Keir Starmer begins reshuffle of Downing Street team | Politics News

Sir Keir Starmer has announced a shake-up of his team in Downing Street as he seeks to reset his premiership after a difficult first year in office.

Darren Jones, seen as a rising star within the Labour Party, has been moved to Number 10 to oversee the day-to-day delivery of the prime minister’s priorities.

He has spent the last year as the chief secretary to the Treasury – essentially Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ deputy – but that role will now be taken by James Murray, who was previously the exchequer secretary.

Mr Murray will be replaced by Dan Tomlinson, a new MP from the 2024 intake who was the government’s “growth mission champion”.

Politics latest: Starmer begins Downing Street reshuffle

Downing Street said the changes reflect the shift into a “second phase” of government.

“It reflects the prime minister’s view that phase one of this government was about fixing the foundations and the second phase has to be about a relentless focus on delivery,” Sir Keir’s official spokesperson said.

Asked if that implies that delivery in the first year has not gone as hoped, they added: “The prime minister came into government with commitment to deliver change for working people. He spent the first year getting on with that job.

“Of course, the prime minister is always determined to make sure that we are straining every sinew to deliver for the British people.

“That is what they rightly expect and what he comes to work and focuses on every single day.”

Mr Jones’s official new title is chief secretary to the prime minister, and he will respond directly to Sir Keir while continuing to attend Cabinet.

He was elected as the Bristol North-West MP in 2017 and rose to prominence a few years later as chair of the business select committee, when he made a name for himself holding business leaders to account.

Mr Jones has previously described Tony Blair as his political hero and is understood to have privately urged the government to be more radical.

In its announcement of the shakeup on Monday morning, Downing Street said it would “bolster” its operations to mark a new term in parliament, with MPs returning from the summer recess today.

New economic adviser appointed

In further changes, economist Baroness Minouche Shafik will take on a new senior role in Downing Street, as chief economic adviser.

The Labour peer is a British-American economist and academic who has previously served as the president and vice chancellor of the London School of Economics (LSE), and as the president of Columbia University.

Tim Allan, who was an adviser to Blair from 1992 to 1998, has been appointed as the government’s Executive Director of Communications and will work with existing director of communications, Steph Driver

James Lyons, who had been director of strategic communications within No 10, has left his role after a year, saying that it was “never intended as a long haul”.

The prime minister’s Deputy Chief of Staff Vidhya Alakeson will take on the expanded responsibilities of overall oversight of Policy and Delivery within Downing Street.

Daniel York-Smith has been appointed as the prime minister’s Principal Private Secretary (PPS), a senior civil servant position that was previously held by Nin Pandit.

Ms Pandit departed last week but remains in Downing Street and will lead a “newly reformed” delivery team, Number 10 said.

Although many of these names are not well-known public figures, the shake up is significant as it marks the beginning of a “reset” in government.

Labour is languishing behind Reform UK in the polls after a summer marred by negative headlines on immigration and Channel crossings.

The government has also faced a backlash on issues such as the cut to winter fuel payment and planned welfare reforms.

Labour backbenchers have criticised Number 10 for not engaging with their concerns and having a poor communications strategy.

Luke Akehurst, the Labour MP for North Durham, welcomed today’s shakeup, telling Sky News: “Darren Jones is a very effective minister and great communicator so it’s a welcome move to see him brought into No10 and helping to drive positive change across government.”

The Tories said the reshuffle shows a “Downing Street in crisis” while Reform UK branded it “desperate”.

Source link