Jonathan Powell, the former chief of staff to Tony Blair, has been appointed as Keir Starmer’s new national security adviser.
The veteran former diplomat led discussions on the status of the Chagos Islands for the UK government in September and played a key role in the Northern Ireland peace negotiations.
The job of national security adviser has been held by Tim Barrow since 2022, and will be based out of No 10. Powell will have a key responsibility for advising on the UK’s approach to the war in Ukraine and the international implications of Donald Trump’s presidency.
It comes after Starmer cancelled Rishi Sunak’s decision to appoint a senior military figure, Gen Gwyn Jenkins, to the role of national security adviser. The process was subsequently re-run.
Barrow had been due to take up the job of US ambassador but this has also been cancelled and the current ambassador, Karen Pierce, is staying on while Donald Trump’s transition takes place.
The appointment of Powell shows the prime minister installing an experienced former diplomat and loyalist to the job.
Powell is considered a Blairite, having been close to the former prime minister, and the only senior adviser to survive at the top of government through Blair’s decade in power.
He is chief executive of Inter Mediate, a UK-based charity working on resolving international conflicts.
After the appointment, Starmer said: “Jonathan has devoted his career to protecting the interests of the country, having served for 17 years as a diplomat in the Foreign Office and 10 years as chief of staff in No 10, and I am delighted to appoint him to this important role.
“Together with his experience helping to negotiate the Belfast [Good Friday] agreement and work on some of the world’s most complex conflicts, he is uniquely qualified to advise the government on tackling the challenges ahead and engage with counterparts across the globe to protect and advance UK interests.”
Powell said he was honoured to take up the job “at a time where national security, international relations, and domestic policies are so interconnected”.
“As the prime minister has set out, national security is at the heart of this country’s response to the many challenges we face, and having an integrated response will be crucial to our success,” he said. “I look forward to advising the prime minister and working closely with ministers and officials in this new role.”
