Politics Home | Top PM Aide Darren Jones “Sounding Out Support” For Potential Leadership Run
Darren Jones in Downing Street for a Cabinet meeting, October 2024 (Alamy) 3 min read2 hr Exclusive: Chief secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones has sparked suspicion among colleagues that he is quietly sounding out support for a future leadership bid of his own, PoliticsHome understands. While taking the mood of the parliamentary party amid growing calls for Keir Starmer to resign, Jones has been interpreted by colleagues as privately gauging support for his own prospects of becoming Prime Minister. A source close to Jones said he had been calling MPs on behalf of No 10 but had not raised his own leadership prospects and remains supportive of the Prime Minister. However, two other sources have told PoliticsHome that the discussions had taken into account Jones’ own leadership prospects. As Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and chief secretary to the PM, Jones was the government spokesperson on the media round this morning. He denied that it was “all over” for the Prime Minister today but did not rule out the possibility he …


