Keir Starmer launched a desperate bid to ‘reset’ his team today as one of his spin chiefs dramatically quit.
No10 strategic communications director James Lyons announced he is leaving the role after a year.
Meanwhile, Treasury minister Darren Jones has been appointed to the new post of ‘secretary to the PM’ as Sir Keir scrambles to stabilise his administration.
Mr Lyons insisted he had never intended to stay in indefinitely and had wanted to help ‘get a grip’ after a ‘difficult’ few months for the Labour government.
But the departure raises fresh questions about Sir Keir’s judgment, after the exits of his previous comms director Matthew Doyle and chief of staff Sue Gray.
It follows a torrid summer for the premier, dominated by protests about Channel boats and asylum hotels.
Labour is trailing far behind Nigel Farage‘s Reform in the polls, with fears Rachel Reeves will have to impose more eye-watering tax hikes at the Budget to fill a huge black hole in the public finances.
Keir Starmer was plunged into fresh crisis today as one of his spin chiefs dramatically quit
No10 communications director James Lyons announced he is leaving the role after a year amid a desperate effort to ‘reset’ the PM’s team
Last week it emerged that Nin Pandit had been moved from the key civil service role of principal private secretary to the PM.
That job is now being taken by Treasury veteran Dan York-Smith.
Ms Pandit will head up a Downing Street Delivery Team.
James Murray has been promoted to Chief Secretary to the Treasury, taking over from Mr Jones.
Former Bank of England deputy governor Minouche Shafik has also been drafted in as Sir Keir’s chief economic adviser.
Tim Allan has become the Government’s Executive Director of Communications, working alongside the existing No10 comms chief Steph Driver.
A wider anticipated ministerial reshuffle appears to have been shelved.
In a message to colleagues, Mr Lyons said: ‘It was an honour to be asked to come in.
‘I’m proud to have helped to get a grip on Whitehall comms after what was a difficult few first months for the Government.
‘It wasn’t just filling the grid. Launching the Plan for Change brought focus and direction.
‘But I gave up a lot to come in and this was never intended as a long haul.
‘When I came back from the summer break I told colleagues I was looking to leave by the end of the year.
‘I’ve brought this forward to be part of the other changes.’
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Labour is trailing far behind Nigel Farage ‘s Reform in the polls, with fears Rachel Reeves will have to impose more eye-watering tax hikes at the Budget to fill a huge black hole in the public finances
Ms Reeves is facing a perfect storm at the Budget this Autumn, with a clamour for more spending even as the economy slows down and interest rates on the UK’s debt mountain rise.
There have been estimates that the black hole in the public finances could be as big as £50billion.
Fears are mounting that Ms Reeves is plotting another huge tax raid, with an array of grim options having been floated over the summer.
Many MPs have been demanding a wealth tax in a bid to raise huge sums, despite alarm that entrepreneurs are already leaving the country.
