Can Starmer’s No.10 reset save him?

Parliament’s summer recess has just ended and, on his first day back, Sir Keir Starmer has already announced a reset of his Downing Street team. A number of people have moved out – most notably James Lyons, the Prime Minister’s director of communications, who was appointed to the role just last year.

A selection of new faces will now head to No. 10. The most significant move is Darren Jones, the former chief secretary to the Treasury, whom the PM has poached from Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Jones will oversee Starmer’s day-to-day work, with the new title of Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister. He is expected to take some of the work – and some of the heat – off Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s chief adviser. Jones will be replaced at the cabinet table by James Murray, who was previously the Exchequer secretary. Another notable addition is Tony Blair’s former adviser, Tim Allan, who is taking on a communications job in Downing Street.

A mid-level ministerial reshuffle is expected in the coming weeks ahead of Labour’s annual party conference – although it is thought this will affect only junior ministers. A number of the 2024 intake are hoping to receive government roles, with rumours that those previously involved with pro-Starmer think-tanks such as Labour Together could be promoted.

The Prime Minister will be hoping his new team will help put his premiership on a more solid footing. As my colleague Tim Shipman points out, however, this is simply another change of comms personnel, rather than a clear statement of direction from Starmer. His first year in office has seen poor poll ratings, several major policy U-turns and increasing support for Reform, who managed to seize the news agenda for most of the summer with dramatic policy announcements on immigration. Solving these may require more than a team shake-up.

On immigration, Yvette Cooper will make a statement in the Commons this afternoon, where she will announce reforms to the asylum appeals system, alongside tighter rules on refugees bringing family members to Britain. The Home Secretary will also give an update on Britain’s ‘one in, one out’ migrant deal with France – dubbed ‘17 in, one out’ by critics – while the government’s stance on the ECHR is coming under increasing scrutiny. There are fears that withdrawal from the convention could affect the Good Friday Agreement, although ex-Labour home secretary Jack Straw has backed a report that insists these concerns are ‘entirely groundless’.

It’s only Starmer’s first day back, but it’s certainly not a slow start.