Keir Starmer’s chief communications advisor is set to depart from Downing Street, marking another setback for the Prime Minister. Steph Driver, who has collaborated closely with Starmer for nearly five years, is the latest high-ranking aide to exit No10 following a string of departures. Her resignation comes shortly after the PM’s director of strategy, Paul Ovenden, also stepped down.
Starmer recently faced the dismissal of UK Ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson, due to revelations about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Additionally, James Lyons, who previously shared communication duties with Driver, left No10 earlier this month. These departures have prompted Starmer to reorganize his senior team, introducing a new position for esteemed minister Darren Jones.
Jones, formerly Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s deputy at the Treasury, now serves as Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister in Downing Street. The reshuffle included moving his principal private secretary, Nin Pandit, to a role focusing on policy delivery. Tim Allan, a former advisor to Tony Blair in No 10, was appointed as the executive director of government communications under Starmer’s leadership.
In response to Driver’s departure, Starmer praised her contributions to the Labour party and the victorious general election campaign. Driver expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work with Starmer through various political phases and highlighted the achievements of the government and the No10 press team during her tenure.
Driver, who initially joined No10 as deputy director of communications after Labour’s election win last year, took on a more significant role following the departure of head of communications, Matthew Doyle. She later shared the communication director role with Lyons before his exit. Starmer’s challenges continued with the resignation of Ovenden over inappropriate messages directed at Diane Abbott, further compounded by the departure of chief of staff Sue Gray amid media scrutiny.
As Starmer navigates these personnel changes, the Prime Minister faces the task of stabilizing his team amidst ongoing challenges and transitions.