Andy Burnham is poised to become leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister, following his win in the Makerfield by-election,1 and he is already putting together the team that will go with him into Downing Street. James Purnell is his chief of staff.2 One of the bigger decisions still to be made, and one that tends to attract less attention than it deserves, is who will run communications at No. 10.
In.Comms asked me, along with others in the industry, for a view on what the next director of communications will need. This is what I told them:
“The next Downing Street director of comms will need to be able to work well with James Purnell and Andy Burnham’s long-standing aide Kevin Lee. I would not be surprised if No. 10 reaches out to key people in agencies who are known to Andy and his team, for specific advice. However, I would be surprised if he brought any agency formally into No. 10, as that is not the Labour way.”
That, for me, is the practical heart of it. A comms operation at the centre of government works best when the people running it know and trust one another, and can act as a team from the first day. Andy Coulson made much the same argument last week, calling for an operation run by grown-ups who understand the value of bringing the temperature down, and I agree with him.
Why agencies advise from outside
The distinction I drew matters. People who work inside No. 10 on political matters are usually special advisers: temporary civil servants whose appointments need the Prime Minister’s written approval. They are bound by a code that requires them to avoid any conflict, or perceived conflict, between their official duties and their private interests, and to declare relevant interests.3 An agency with other clients cannot sit inside that framework without raising exactly those questions.
That does not mean outside expertise has no place. Informal advice from people the team knows and trusts is normal in any government. What matters is that it is transparent, and that the people making decisions are accountable for them.
What the Downing Street director of communications does
The Downing Street director of communications leads the Prime Minister’s media and communications operation. The job covers the daily handling of the press, the planning of announcements across government, and the Prime Minister’s strategic message. It is usually a political appointment, working alongside the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson, who is a civil servant.
What the history tells us
The most effective holders of the role, such as Alastair Campbell under Tony Blair and Craig Oliver under David Cameron, stayed long enough to build a machine. Each worked for a Prime Minister who had a clear view of what the government was for, and each had the authority to coordinate departments.
The weakest periods came when the role kept changing hands. Starmer’s No. 10 went through three communications leaderships in under two years. Matthew Doyle left in March 2025 and was replaced by James Lyons and Steph Driver sharing the role.4 Tim Allan was brought in above them in September 2025,5 Driver resigned later that month,6 and Allan himself left in February 2026.7 Every change means new relationships with journalists, new priorities and time lost.
The lesson is simple. Stability and a clear line of authority matter more than any single hire.
What the new team should build
There is a broader point, too. Communications at the top of government is about far more than presentation. It is about ensuring a clear sense of direction and political focus of a government, so any communications must reinforce that sense of direction both externally with the public but also internally within Government so that civil servants understand how to align the policy solutions that they put forward. Without it there is confusion, a sense of drift and Government slow in delivery. That was the clearest lesson of the past two years, and I have no doubt the new team will have it in mind.
In practice, I would look for three things in the first months:
- One agreed story. A short statement of what the government is for, which every minister and department can repeat.
- A central grid with real authority. Announcements planned across government, so departments don’t compete for the same news day.
- Regular proof of delivery. A small number of measurable commitments, with progress reported publicly and often.
The new team has something its predecessor lacked: people who have worked together for years. Burnham’s closest aide, Kevin Lee, has been with him for more than 15 years.8 If that trust carries into No. 10, it will be an advantage worth more than any individual appointment.
Update: Andy Burnham became Prime Minister on 20 July 2026.9
Sources
Mark Glover
Reflecting on the comms operation taking shape at No. 10
A new team in Downing Street
Key takeaway:
Andy Burnham is poised to become leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister, following his win in the Makerfield by-election,1 and he is already putting together the team that will go with him into Downing Street. James Purnell is his chief of staff.2 One of the bigger decisions still to be made, and one that tends to attract less attention than it deserves, is who will run communications at No. 10.
In.Comms asked me, along with others in the industry, for a view on what the next director of communications will need. This is what I told them:
“The next Downing Street director of comms will need to be able to work well with James Purnell and Andy Burnham’s long-standing aide Kevin Lee. I would not be surprised if No. 10 reaches out to key people in agencies who are known to Andy and his team, for specific advice. However, I would be surprised if he brought any agency formally into No. 10, as that is not the Labour way.”
That, for me, is the practical heart of it. A comms operation at the centre of government works best when the people running it know and trust one another, and can act as a team from the first day. Andy Coulson made much the same argument last week, calling for an operation run by grown-ups who understand the value of bringing the temperature down, and I agree with him.
Why agencies advise from outside
The distinction I drew matters. People who work inside No. 10 on political matters are usually special advisers: temporary civil servants whose appointments need the Prime Minister’s written approval. They are bound by a code that requires them to avoid any conflict, or perceived conflict, between their official duties and their private interests, and to declare relevant interests.3 An agency with other clients cannot sit inside that framework without raising exactly those questions.
That does not mean outside expertise has no place. Informal advice from people the team knows and trusts is normal in any government. What matters is that it is transparent, and that the people making decisions are accountable for them.
What the Downing Street director of communications does
The Downing Street director of communications leads the Prime Minister’s media and communications operation. The job covers the daily handling of the press, the planning of announcements across government, and the Prime Minister’s strategic message. It is usually a political appointment, working alongside the Prime Minister’s official spokesperson, who is a civil servant.
What the history tells us
The most effective holders of the role, such as Alastair Campbell under Tony Blair and Craig Oliver under David Cameron, stayed long enough to build a machine. Each worked for a Prime Minister who had a clear view of what the government was for, and each had the authority to coordinate departments.
The weakest periods came when the role kept changing hands. Starmer’s No. 10 went through three communications leaderships in under two years. Matthew Doyle left in March 2025 and was replaced by James Lyons and Steph Driver sharing the role.4 Tim Allan was brought in above them in September 2025,5 Driver resigned later that month,6 and Allan himself left in February 2026.7 Every change means new relationships with journalists, new priorities and time lost.
The lesson is simple. Stability and a clear line of authority matter more than any single hire.
What the new team should build
There is a broader point, too. Communications at the top of government is about far more than presentation. It is about ensuring a clear sense of direction and political focus of a government, so any communications must reinforce that sense of direction both externally with the public but also internally within Government so that civil servants understand how to align the policy solutions that they put forward. Without it there is confusion, a sense of drift and Government slow in delivery. That was the clearest lesson of the past two years, and I have no doubt the new team will have it in mind.
In practice, I would look for three things in the first months:
The new team has something its predecessor lacked: people who have worked together for years. Burnham’s closest aide, Kevin Lee, has been with him for more than 15 years.8 If that trust carries into No. 10, it will be an advantage worth more than any individual appointment.
Update: Andy Burnham became Prime Minister on 20 July 2026.9
Sources
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