Keir Starmer appoints Rachel Reeves’ righthand man to new Downing Street role in mini-reshuffle

PoliticsBusiness & Finance
1 Sep 2025 • 4:43 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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Keir Starmer has moved to get grip on the political agenda and toughen up his government by bringing Rachel Reeves’ former deputy from the Treasury to strengthen his Downing Street operation.

With concerns over the focus of the Downing Street operation, Labour languishing eight points behind Reform in the polls and a sense that the prime minister was not in control of the political agenda, Darren Jones has been moved to help strengthen the operation.

Mr Jones is replaced as chief Treasury secretary by loyalist James Murray and Daniel Tomlinson is promoted to a junior Treasury ministerial role.

But the biggest casualty is James Lyons, brought in just a year ago to run strategic communications, who has now been shown the exit door.

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