One of Sir Keir Starmer’s top aides has been moved out of the leader’s office after coming under fire from some in the party over the disastrous loss of Hartlepool in last month’s by-election.
Jenny Chapman’s move to become Brexit spokesperson shadowing David Frost in the House of Lords completes a clear-out of senior staff in Starmer’s office.
It comes amid growing concern among MPs over Labour’s poor showing in the polls and the prospect of a second by-election defeat in the traditional stronghold of Batley and Spen next week.
Polls suggest that the Conservatives are set to take the West Yorkshire seat, which has been held by Labour since 1997 and is being fought for the party by Kim Leadbeater, the sister of murdered MP Jo Cox.
Lady Chapman served as Labour spokesperson on Brexit in the Commons under Jeremy Corbyn from 2016-19, working under Starmer, who was then shadow Brexit secretary.
After she lost her seat of Darlington to the Tories in the 2019 general election, she became chair of Starmer’s successful campaign for the Labour leadership and was rewarded with a peerage and the role of political secretary to the new leader.
Close Starmer allies who have left the roles they were appointed to when he took office include chief of staff Morgan McSweeney, who is moving to a new role overseeing elections; head of communications Ben Nunn, who quit on Friday; and deputy head of communications Paul Ovenden. Carolyn Harris, his parliamentary private secretary, also stood down last month.
Deborah Mattinson, formerly Gordon Brown’s pollster, is set to join Starmer’s office as director of strategy.
