Starmer’s New Minister SpAd Set to Take Responsibilities From McFadden – Guido Fawkes

Starmer’s New Minister SpAd Set to Take Responsibilities From McFadden

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The out-of-left field decision to appoint Darren Jones as a personal Shadow Chancellor for Starmer is a sign of the malaise in Downing Street. A common answer for which is to claim that No10 lacks “economic clout” et cetera – appointing more Treasury-minded people rarely fixes anything…

Guido exclusively revealed Louise Casey and Jonathan Powell were advising the PM on how he might shake up the personnel arrangements all the way back in June. Casey is credited with organising Jones’ move and the creation of the new “Chief Secretary” ministerial job reporting to Downing Street and technically based in the Cabinet Office. A big shake-up to the Treasury teams right before the budget – it must be a nightmare document already…

Jones is set to take some responsibility for the PM’s “missions” and delivery from the until-now Cabinet Office head honcho Pat McFadden. Jones will have a line to those teams in the Cabinet Office. Downing Street says he “will directly oversee work across Government to support the delivery of the Prime Minister’s priorities and the Government’s Plan for Change.” Fluttering over government…

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster may not be so happy in future now he is able to focus more on the Cabinet Office business brief, which an insider source says he “hates that already and doesn’t rate the Cabinet Office teams.” A key question is whether Starmer brings his new personal SpAd minister to the regular “Quad” meetings with Rayner, Reeves, and McFadden. Wouldn’t be a quad any more…

UPDATE: There has already been confusion over who Jones will answer to. Journalists reported he would report to McFadden too – something refuted by Downing Street at the Lobby briefing of political journalists. Starmer’s spokesman also said he would be working “across the missions”…