PRIME Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Downing Street reshuffle was likened to moving deckchairs on the Titanic today as he appointed a Blairite MP to a newly created role of Prime Minister’s chief secretary.

Insisting his changes were his government moving into its “second phase,” Sir Keir conceded that he was “frustrated” at the pace of change his government had managed to achieve so far.

Darren Jones, who has opposed ending British arms sales to Israel during the Gaza genocide, saying that it would not end the war, will be based at No 10 and “directly oversee work across government to support the delivery of the Prime Minister’s priorities” and attend Cabinet, Downing Street said.

Treasury minister James Murray will replace the MP for Bristol North West as chief secretary to the Treasury, effectively acting as Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s deputy.

A spokeswoman for Momentum said: “Keir Starmer’s reshuffle is like moving the deckchairs on the Titanic.

“If the government fail to reverse years of austerity or deliver transformative change across Britain, voters will look elsewhere for change.”

In an interview with the BBC’s Matt Chorley, Sir Keir said: “When I took over as leader of the Labour Party, I said there will be sort of three phases to this.

“You’ve got to sort of build the fundamentals first and then you move on to the second stage. So, this should be seen more as moving on to the second phase than a reshuffle.”

Asked if it was a reflection of frustration that he had not brought about the change he had promised, he said: “I do want to go further and faster, and yes, I’m frustrated about that.”

He said that he was “not angry” but said: “I get the frustration and anger of voters because they want change.”

Sir Keir added: “I say delivery is the absolute key word and that’s why I’m really pleased with the changes today.”

The changes will also see Chipping Barnet MP Dan Tomlinson replace Mr Murray as Treasury Exchequer secretary

Tim Allan, a former adviser to Sir Tony Blair’s government, has been appointed the government’s executive director of communications after James Lyons left his role as director of strategic communications within No 10 after a year.