Starmer to replace principal private secretary

Ninjeri Pandit expected to leave role as PPS to prime minister and take on new role at No.10 in September
Photo: Alex Segre/Alamy

By Susan Allott

28 Aug 2025

Sir Keir Starmer is planning to replace his principal private secretary, according to reports.

Ninjeri Pandit, who was appointed to run the prime minister’s team at No.10 in October last year, is the third senior member of staff to have left Downing Street in the last year, following the departure of chief of staff Sue Gray in October, and the resignation of director of communications Matthew Doyle in March.

Reports suggest Pandit is set to move into a new role leading on policy delivery for No.10.

The BBC said it "understands the prime minister had become concerned Pandit was ineffective in the role”, but added that “No.10 contests this and allies of the prime minister said he retained trust and confidence in her".

The PPS role is one of the most significant in government. The job involves working closely with the prime minister’s senior political advisers and the cabinet secretary as well as other ministers, senior officials and advisers from across government. The PPS also controls the flow of information to the PM and shapes his or her diary.

PPS post-holders have in several instances gone on to become head of the civil service. 

Examples include Lord Robert Armstrong, who was PPS to Edward Heath and Margaret Thatcher; Lord Robin Butler, who was PPS to Margaret Thatcher; Lord Andrew Turnbull, who was PPS to Thatcher and then to John Major; Lord Jeremy Heywood, who was PPS to both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown; and Lord Simon Case, who was PPS to David Cameron and Theresa May. 

The PPS position has been appointed at SCS3 – director general – grade in recent years.

Prior to her PPS role, Pandit ran the No.10 Policy Unit from November 2022, under Rishi Sunak’s premiership. Before joining No.10 she served as chief of staff and lead policy adviser to the head of NHS England.

Earlier in her career, Pandit worked in digital health services regionally and nationally, helping to develop the first electronic personal health record in mental health services in the UK. She also led work on information transparency for the mayor of London’s Health Improvement Board.

No.10 was approached for comment but said it does not comment on internal staffing issues.

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