Exclusive: Darren Jones appointed to new senior role in charge of day-to-day delivery of PM’s priorities
Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the Treasury, has been moved to a new senior role in Downing Street as Keir Starmer attempts to get a grip on delivery before what is likely to be a tumultuous autumn for the government, the Guardian understands.
The senior MP, whose new title will be chief secretary to the prime minster, has been put in charge of day-to-day delivery of the prime minister’s priorities after No 10 spent the summer struggling to get on the front foot on issues including the economy and migration, and lags behind Reform UK in the polls.
He will be replaced as Rachel Reeves’s deputy by James Murray, who has been promoted from exchequer secretary, a more junior ministerial role at the Treasury. In turn, his role will be taken by Dan Tomlinson, the government’s “growth mission champion”, as Starmer seeks to reward the new 2024 intake.
However, there was not expected to be a wider reshuffle of the junior ministerial ranks at this point despite some reports, senior sources said, although Starmer would need to appoint a new homelessness minister after Rushanara Ali stood down this summer. The cabinet is to stay intact.
