Tim Allan, Executive Director of Communications, 10 Downing Street, is the latest Blairite to make a comeback under Keir Starmer. Is this a New Labour appointment too far, asks Alison Rowat

Executive Director of Communications, 10 Downing Street. Quite the job title, isn’t it? The stuff of which PR men’s dreams are made.

The lucky chap in question is one Tim Allan, appointed to the role this week as part of Sir Keir Starmer’s “refresh” of his backroom team. It will be a return to an old stomping ground for Allan nearly three decades after he left Number 10.

His history with the party goes back to New Labour days, first as a researcher to Tony Blair, then as a press officer and eventually deputy to Alastair Campbell. In that role he merits more than a dozen mentions in Campbell’s diaries, the main one being his contribution when Harold Wilson died. A statement was needed from Blair. Campbell recalls: “Tim [Allan] suggested we put out words from TB saying ‘I saw Harold last week and he seemed fine but then as he knew better than anyone, a week is a long time in politics.”

It’s hardly up there with Eric and Ernie’s best, but it speaks to Allan’s reputation for having a sense of humour. By God he’ll need one if he is to transform Starmer’s fortunes. Did anything sum up this Prime Minister’s political cluelessness like that reshuffle?

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His personal poll numbers plummeting; his party barely staying ahead of the Conservatives and trailing Reform; a........

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