27 July 2026

Who’s who in John Healey’s top political team

The New Statesman can exclusively reveal the Chancellor’s finalised top political team

The new Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey has finalised the appointments to his top political team in the Treasury, including a well-known name to SW1 insiders as his chief of staff, the New Statesman can reveal.

Will Straw, who held a leading role in the Remain campaign as executive director of the Britain Stronger in Europe campaign, is the Chancellor’s pick for chief of staff. Straw was previously an adviser in the Treasury under Gordon Brown and an associate director at the progressive think tank IPPR.

Straw is currently CEO of the King’s Trust International, the charity for vulnerable young people. He’s well-liked and respected around Westminster – one insider describes Straw’s appointment as a “coup” for Healey. His two decades of experience in public policy and non-profit leadership are expected to help him run the Chancellor’s operation, though – much like Andy Burnham’s chief of staff, James Purnell – he appears to have personal politics that are to the right of his boss, having worked on Jess Phillips’s Labour leadership campaign in 2020.

The Chancellor’s long-term adviser, Dan Harris, moves over with Healey from the Ministry of Defence to become deputy chief of staff for the Treasury team.

Tom Hughes and Rachel Smethers, who previously served as advisers to Keir Starmer and Harriet Harman, respectively, are promoted to head of strategy and head of communications after serving in Healey’s team at the MoD for the last two years.

Jess Leigh is another big communications hire for the Treasury, having advised Yvette Cooper in the other two great offices of state, at the Home Office and Foreign Office.

Shadi Brazell, a former Treasury adviser, joins as a domestic policy special adviser. Adam Scott, who brings parliamentary, union and private-sector experience and significant links with Labour MPs, will serve as the Chancellor’s Parliamentary Labour Party and union lead.