LONDON, Feb 9 - Prime Minister Keir Starmer's director of communications, Tim Allan, resigned on Monday, marking the second high-profile departure from Downing Street in two days. The move came one day after Morgan McSweeney, Starmer's top aide, also quit following scrutiny over his role in supporting Peter Mandelson despite Mandelson's known links to Jeffrey Epstein.
In a brief statement released on Monday, Allan said he had "decided to stand down to allow a new No10 team to be built" and offered his best wishes to the prime minister and the remaining staff. Allan's career includes service as an adviser to former Prime Minister Tony Blair from 1992 to 1998, and in 2001 he founded and led one of the country's prominent public affairs consultancies. He was appointed executive director of communications at Downing Street in September 2025.
The back-to-back departures come as Starmer seeks to draw a clear line under a government crisis triggered by his appointment of Mandelson as ambassador to the United States. The controversy centers on Mandelson's acknowledged links to Jeffrey Epstein, and the support some senior aides provided during the appointment process.
The rapid loss of two senior communications figures - one the prime minister's top aide and the other the head of communications - leaves Downing Street with an immediate task of rebuilding its public affairs team and re-establishing internal stability. Allan framed his resignation as a move to enable that rebuilding process.
Separately, promotional material that accompanied previous reporting on the situation highlighted investment research products and artificial intelligence tools framed around identifying potential investments for 2026. That material discussed the value of better data and AI-powered insights for investors, and included a call to examine investment opportunities via such tools.
At this stage, Downing Street has not released further detail on the timing or the personnel who will fill the departing roles. The departures leave open questions about how the prime minister's communications operation will be reconstituted and how quickly replacements will be announced.
Summary
Two senior members of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's communications team have resigned in quick succession amid controversy over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States. Tim Allan, the executive director of communications appointed in September 2025, stepped down on Monday to allow a new team to be assembled, after Morgan McSweeney resigned the previous day over his role in backing Mandelson given Mandelson's known links to Jeffrey Epstein.
Key points
- Tim Allan resigned as Downing Street's director of communications on Monday to permit rebuilding of the No.10 communications team.
- Morgan McSweeney, Starmer's top aide, resigned the day before in connection with his support for Peter Mandelson despite Mandelson's known links to Jeffrey Epstein.
- Sectors likely affected by the fallout include government and public affairs, communications and media, and diplomatic relations tied to the ambassadorial appointment.
Risks and uncertainties
- Uncertainty over the pace and composition of replacements for two senior communications roles could disrupt government messaging - this primarily affects the communications and media sector.
- Ongoing scrutiny related to the Mandelson appointment may prolong political instability within the prime minister's office - this could impact diplomatic relations and the foreign policy apparatus tied to the ambassadorial post.
- Further personnel changes cannot be ruled out given the rapid sequence of resignations, leaving internal operations and stakeholder engagement at risk - this influences public affairs and administrative continuity.