Yvette Cooper defends children as young as 13 needing digital ID – UK politics live
Yvette Cooper defends children as young as 13 needing digital ID – UK politics live
Keir Starmer has been accused of pushing some of his last remaining progressive allies out of government as he embarks on another shake-up of his Downing Street operation designed to empower his chief secretary, Darren Jones .
The prime minister is overseeing a reorganisation of several key parts of his government, including the delivery and policy units, to refocus the policy work and give Jones more direct control of the machinery of government.
The changes are part of an attempt by Starmer to regain the political initiative after a troubled first year in office, during which Labour has slumped in the polls and he has been accused of showing a lack of political vision.
However, the moves have led to the departures of Carys Roberts and Muneera Lula , whom allies describe as two of the more leftwing members of the policy unit. Though both were offered jobs in the overhauled unit, friends say they felt their expertise would not be as highly valued after the changes.
Recent appointments to that unit include Axel Heitmueller , a former senior associate at the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) , while Harvey Redgrave , another TBI alumnus, has been put in day-to-day charge of the team. Toby Lloyd , a former adviser to Theresa May , is understood to be joining to advise on housing and infrastructure policy.
The changes add to a sense of flux around the prime minister, with several of his longest-serving allies having left in recent weeks. They include Paul Ovenden , Starmer’s director of political strategy, and Steph Driver , who was head of communications.
One special adviser said:
Carys and Muneera were the finest policy minds in that building, and understood exactly what Keir is trying to do. Their departure leaves an enormous hole, and people fear this is part of a wider pattern of a progressive clear-out.
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