Keir Starmer is reportedly making changes to the top civil service position in his Downing Street office.
Nin Pandit, the Principal Private Secretary of the Prime Minister, leads Keir Starmer’s team at 10 Downing Street. She has been in this role for only ten months.
Following the departure of Mr. Starmer’s Director of Communications in No. 10, Matthew Doyle, another senior figure is reportedly stepping down. Doyle left his position in March after less than a year, marking a series of changes in Downing Street, including the resignation of Sue Gray, the Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff, last autumn.
The Prime Minister is now reorganizing operations at No. 10 and will personally oversee the changes. Ms. Pandit has been reassigned to a new role overseeing these operations, with Mr. Starmer’s full support and trust.
Ms. Pandit previously served as the Director of the Downing Street Policy Unit under the Conservative government starting in November 2022. Before joining No. 10, she held positions as Chief of Staff and Lead Policy Advisor at NHS England.
No. 10 confirmed that Ms. Pandit will remain in her current role and declined to provide details on her future departure.
In his departure statement in March, Matthew Doyle, who had previously worked for Tony Blair, mentioned that he felt he had stabilized No. 10’s communication strategy during his tenure, following the initial challenges of the government’s early days.
The vacancy left by Mr. Doyle’s exit paved the way for James Lyons, a former NHS and TikTok communications executive, and former political journalist for the Mirror, to assume the role of Director of Communications. The responsibilities are split between Mr. Lyons, overseeing communication strategy, and Steph Driver, Mr. Doyle’s deputy, managing communication delivery.
Separately, Sue Gray had been a controversial figure since the Labour government took office. Disputes arose in September when it was revealed that she earned more than the Prime Minister, leading to negative briefings about her within government circles. This issue was a focal point at the party’s annual conference, which Gray opted not to attend at the last moment.
