Downing Street Communications Chief Under Scrutiny Over Lobbying Firm Links
Downing Street is facing mounting pressure to investigate potential conflicts of interest surrounding one of Keir Starmer's most senior aides. Tim Allan, the Prime Minister's communications chief, continues to hold shares in Strand Partners, a prominent lobbying firm, despite taking up his government role in September.
The situation has escalated following revelations that Allan has discussed politics with Tom Baldwin, a senior consultant at Strand Partners who also happens to be Starmer's biographer and a former Labour adviser. Sky News first reported these conversations, citing multiple sources confirming the political discussions occurred after Allan joined Number 10.
Cross-Party Demands for Investigation
The connections have prompted cross-party demands for a full Cabinet Office investigation into whether appropriate boundaries have been maintained. Zack Polanski, the Green party leader, expressed serious concerns about the arrangement, telling Sky News: "I think it's extraordinary that someone still has shares who's at the heart of Downing Street... I think it's important to know what these supposed appropriate mitigations are, what exactly are those and do they pass the public sniff test?"
Liberal Democrat frontbencher Lisa Smart reinforced these concerns, stating she had written to the cabinet secretary because "this appears to be a clear conflict of interest right at the heart of government." She emphasised that "It cannot be the case that the executive director of communications for the government has shareholdings in a lobbying firm and is continuing to have conversations with senior consultants at that firm."
Even Conservative party chair Kevin Hollinrake joined the chorus, stating: "[There] should be a full Cabinet Office investigation. I think the public need to see there are no conflicts of interest and no perceived conflicts of interests, and that's not where we are right now."
Defences and Mitigations
Labour has vigorously defended Allan's position, with a spokesperson stating: "The allegation that Tim Allan has done anything to benefit Strand whilst in No 10 is categorically false." The party maintains that Baldwin interacts with Allan in his capacity as a journalist and biographer, not as a lobbyist, and that their conversations haven't involved Strand Partners' business or clients.
According to sources familiar with the situation, Allan has undertaken not to receive dividends from Strand Partners during his government tenure and isn't involved in the company's operations. He resigned as chair when he joined Number 10 at the beginning of September.
Strand Partners, whose clients include the British Horseracing Authority, energy companies Ovo Energy and Cadent Gas, and streaming giant Netflix, clarified that Baldwin "does not engage in government relations for Strand and this is not part of his terms of engagement with us."
A Cabinet Office spokesperson confirmed that Allan "fully complied" with the process for capturing potential conflicts of interest and implementing appropriate mitigations, as set out in the special advisers' code of conduct.
Despite these assurances, the perception of potential influence has raised significant questions about transparency and accountability within the new government, with all opposition parties united in their call for greater scrutiny of the relationships between government officials and private lobbying interests.
