Labour faces questions over Starmer aide who holds shares in lobbying firm | Labour

No 10 is facing calls for an investigation into whether Keir Starmer’s communications chief should have been allowed to own shares in a lobbying firm and discuss policy with one of his advisers.

Tim Allan, one of Starmer’s most senior aides, owns a minority stake in Strand Partners, which critics claim could lead to the perception of a conflict of interest.

Allan does not receive any financial benefit from Strand during its time in 10th place but has not sold its shares in the firm, whose clients include the British Horseracing Authority, energy companies Ovo Energy and Cadent Gas and Netflix.

He is also friends with former Labor adviser Tom Baldwin, a journalist and Starmer biographer and senior adviser at Strand Partners.

The relationship was first reported by Sky News, which said multiple sources told the news outlet that Allan and Baldwin had been discussing politics since the communications chief joined No 10. Labor said the idea that Allan had done anything to benefit the Strand during his time in government was “categorically false”.

Baldwin is primarily a journalist and does not engage in lobbying or public relations activities on behalf of Strand Partners; his role is limited to speaking at events for his corporate clients.

Sources said Baldwin and Allan did not discuss Strand Partners’ affairs, and Allan had pledged not to take dividends or interfere with the company’s management while he was in government. Allan resigned as chairman upon his appointment to No 10 at the beginning of September.

But links between Strand Partners and Downing Street have led to calls for an investigation between the parties.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski told Sky News: “I think it’s extraordinary that someone at the heart of Downing Street still has a stake… I think there are still a lot of questions to be asked. What are these so-called appropriate mitigating measures, what exactly are they and do they pass the public sniff test?”

Lisa Smart, a leading Liberal Democrat candidate, said: “I wrote to the cabinet secretary today because this appears to be a clear conflict of interest at the very heart of government.

“It is out of the question for the government’s director-general of communications to have a stake in a lobbying firm and continue discussions with senior advisers at that firm.”

Conservative party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said: “[There] There should be a full Cabinet Office investigation. “I think the public needs to see that there is no conflict of interest and no perceived conflict of interest, and that is not where we are right now.”

A Labor spokesman said: “The suggestion that Tim Allan did anything to benefit the Strand while at Number 10 is categorically false.

“Tom Baldwin is an established journalist, author and commentator who appears regularly on Sky News. Any interaction with him was within his capacity as a journalist and had nothing to do with Strand, his business or his clients.”

A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “There is a rigorous process to identify any potential conflicts of interest and to ensure appropriate mitigating measures are taken to reflect the particular circumstances. Tim Allan fully complied with this process prior to his appointment.”

“This is set out in the special advisers’ code of conduct and lists of special advisers’ interests are published annually.”

A spokesman for Strand Partners said: “Tom Baldwin is a journalist and biographer of the prime minister. He does not handle government relations on behalf of Strand and this is not part of his terms of contract with us.”

“Tim Allan sought advice from the Cabinet Office on his interests and followed every element of the advice received. He receives no financial benefit from the Strand and is not involved in our operations.”