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, who was serving as the chief secretary to the Treasury and is seen as a rising star within Labour, has been put in charge of the day-to-day delivery of the prime minister’s priorities.
He will work across government to “drive forward progress in key policy areas”, Number 10 said.
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James Murray, who was the exchequer secretary, has been promoted to Mr Jones’s former role – essentially the deputy to Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
Dan Tomlinson, a new MP from the 2024 intake, will replace Mr Murray.
Both Mr Murray and Mr Jones will attend cabinet. Mr Jones is seen as a strong communicator, rising to prominence in 2021 as the chair of the business select committee, when he made a name for himself holding business leaders to account.
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Number 10 said the shake up is intended to “bolster” its operations to mark a new term in parliament as it focuses on its next phase of its domestic agenda – delivering on the “Plan for Change”.
Economist Baroness Minouche Shafik will also take on a new senior role in Downing Street, as chief economic adviser.
Tim Allan, a former adviser to Tony Blair, has been appointed as the government’s Executive Director of Communications.
James Lyons, the director of strategic communications for Number 10, has now left his job.
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