London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Keir Starmer appoints adviser from Blair years as his chief of staff

Keir Starmer appoints adviser from Blair years as his chief of staff

Sam White, who worked under Gordon Brown, will run the Labour leader’s office from September
Keir Starmer has appointed an adviser from the Blair and Brown years as his chief of staff in the final step of a reshuffle of the Labour leader’s top team after the party’s byelection losses.

Sam White, who was a special adviser to Alistair Darling when he was chancellor, will run the leader of the opposition’s office from September. He will replace Morgan McSweeney, who was named Labour elections director.

White, 46, was the longest-serving adviser to Darling while he was chancellor under former prime minister Gordon Brown, and also worked for him when he held cabinet positions under Tony Blair.

In his new role, McSweeney will work with campaign coordinator Shabana Mahmood.

Announcing the new appointments, Starmer said White “brings great experience from both inside and outside government”. And he said Morgan will be responsible for “running a modern, efficient, winning campaign at the next election”.

Starmer started a shakeup of his office after last month’s poor result in the Chesham and Amersham byelection when Labour won just 1.6% of the vote and lost its deposit. It followed the loss of former Labour stronghold Hartlepool to the Conservatives in May.

Despite concerns over how Labour would fare in the Batley and Spen byelection earlier this month, Kim Leadbeater’s narrow victory took some pressure off the Labour leader.

Starmer said on Saturday: “I’m pleased to be able to announce the latest changes to the team as we prepare for the next election.

“Morgan brings great election experience and strategic judgment to the election coordinator role, and he will ensure that we are running a modern, efficient, winning campaign at the next election.

“I’ve worked with Sam before. I know he brings great experience from both inside and outside government to running my office as we take our message out to the country at conference and beyond.”
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×