Daniel Tomlinson has been announced as the new Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury.
The young MP, who is relatively unknown outside his constituency, is one of the key names being moved into new roles as part of Labour’s ministerial reshuffle.
Elsewhere, Rt Hon Darren Jones has moved into the newly created role of Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister, from his previous role as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and on the back of this move, James Murray MP has been moved to the role of Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Daniel Tomlinson MP, elected just over a year ago, has been slotted into Murray’s prior role as Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury.
These latest moves have been accompanied by a shake up of the No. 10 communications team, with the appointment of former Blair adviser Tim Allan as executive director of government communications as James Lyons steps down.
Starmer has also appointed a new economic adviser, Baronness Minouche Shafik, former deputy governor of the Bank of England.
A background in economics
Tomlinson’s latest move to the Treasury is somewhat unsurprising on account of his economics background.
Tomlinson faced struggles in his childhood, growing up in a low income family and experiencing homelessness.
Despite this, he went on to study PPE at University College Oxford, before working for the Treasury and for the Resolution Foundation think tank from 2015-2022, which is “focused on improving the living standards of those on low-to-middle incomes”.
Tomlinson has also worked for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, a leading charity that works towards creating a “more equitable and just future, free from poverty.”
Prior to entering Westminster, Tomlinson was politically active, serving as a Labour councillor in Tower Hamlets from 2018 to 2022.
Labour’s ‘growth mission champion’
Tomlinson was elected as an MP for the seat of Chipping Barnet in North London in the 2024 election, defeating incumbent Conservative MP Theresa Villiers by a majority of nearly 3,000 votes, and becoming the first ever Labour MP to hold the seat.
He was subsequently appointed as Labour’s “growth mission champion”, one of the government’s 27 “mission champions” tasked with helping the government deliver its five core missions for government: Raising living standards, driving growth, creating good jobs, unlocking investment and rebuilding Britain.
In this role, Tomlinson was focused on the government’s efforts to “raise living standards by growing our economy.”
Writing for Progressive Britain in July, Tomlinson described economic growth as “central to the Government’s Plan for Change.”
Housing is a key area of interest for Tomlinson, and he was named as one of eight new Labour MPs to watch as part of “the new generation of social housing allies in Westminster” by Inside Housing.
What does this reshuffle mean for Labour?
Tomlinson’s lastest promotion comes as part of Keir Starmer’s efforts to move into what he has described on BBC Radio 5 Live as “phase two” of his government, with a “focus on delivery, delivery, delivery.”
Starmer also said “I get the frustration and anger of voters because they want change” and that his government would go “further and faster.”
With rising impatience among voters over a year on from Labour’s election landslide, Starmer will be hoping that these new changes give a much-needed boost to the government’s fortunes.
Read our profile on Darren Jones here.
Read our profile on James Murray here.
Featured image via HM Government.
