Starmer’s new director of comms is swimming balls deep in controversy

Keir Starmer has appointed Tim Allan as Downing Street’s new director of communications. Allan is a former trustee of Sex Matters – an anti-trans group.

Tim Allan, who used to be Tony Blair’s director of communications, left his position as a trustee of Sex Matters, an anti-trans activist group, to become Keir Starmer’s director of communications. pic.twitter.com/QYhnRiDIql

— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) September 1, 2025

According to the Financial Times, Allan has previously worked for Kazakhstan and Qatar, along with Vladimir Putin’s government.

He also worked as the deputy director of communications for former Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair, under Alastair Campbell. Blair even called him ‘more right-wing than me’.

The Financial Times reported:

He left to become head of corporate communications for Sky before founding communications agency Portland in 2001, building a roster of clients ranging from defence group BAE Systems to Heathrow airport and gambling company William Hill.

He owned 95 per cent of the company, which was sold for a figure close to £40mn in two tranches to US marketing group Omnicom between 2012 and 2019, at which point he left.

Portland’s work for the Russian government began in about 2005 when US marketing group Ketchum won a public relations contract with Moscow.

Tim Allan: uh-oh

Before the 2024 election, Starmer promised to “treat trans people with dignity and respect”. Does he have a short memory, or is he a straight-up liar?

so that was a fucking lie then https://t.co/MaPV0bbyy7 pic.twitter.com/jOzHjqSdK0

— Slonk (@Pies_of_Lee) September 2, 2025

The dangerous anti-trans rhetoric of Sex Matters is endangering trans people’s lives:

Nothing funny about Labour.

Tim Allan, SexMatters director, is now comms manager.

After the supreme court ruling they wrote to Wes Streeting and NHSE to ask that the Cass puberty blocker study is cancelled, because trans people have no rights now.https://t.co/FpiG2QfxmG

— Tony Silver (@TonyGoldSE) September 2, 2025

Tim Allan in Government communications? The same Tim Allan who was a trustee for Sex Matters, the group built on anti-trans rhetoric.
One, why are we normalising this?
Two, why are we accepting this?@UKLabour I am appalled.

— MsMbl🏳️‍⚧️ (@Missmbl2812) September 2, 2025

Taking money from the Kremlin

In 2005, the Russian government hired Portland Communications, the company Tim Allan founded. A separate company subcontracted them for UK media monitoring on behalf of Putin’s regime. The contract was worth around £200k a year.

It apparently ended before 2014 when Russia-backed militants seized parts of the Donbas region of Ukraine.

When I revealed that Tim Allan was in contention for a No10 role in July, I also reported there was disquiet among officials.

Allan — as of today Starmer’s communications chief — founded a lobbying firm which represented Qatar, Russia and Kazakhstan…! https://t.co/mZNG0KEkdl

— Gabriel Pogrund (@Gabriel_Pogrund) September 1, 2025

Blairite Tim Allen, now doing PR for Starmer, got Putin an article in the Sun back in the day.

— Alex Callinicos @alexcallinicos.bsky.social (@alex_callinicos) September 2, 2025

Cover-ups

In 2014, the Qatari government hired Portland to cover up human rights abuses in the country.

Tim Allan, a Trustee of the well documented anti trans, hate driven group “Srx Matters” for the past 12 months ?

A snippet of behaviours of Directors & Cofounders of that org.

Why would Starmer choose a person who’d been metaphorically, in bed, with those driven by such hate? pic.twitter.com/ETLEU5US7Q

— Sandy 💜💙❤ 🏳️‍🌈 Ally She/Her 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇪🇸 (@sullivansa1) September 1, 2025

The Gulf State is one of the wealthiest in the world, per capita, but the 2022 World Cup bid drew attention to the appalling conditions that Asian labourers were both living and working in.

Oh dear, I remember when I tweeted on the firm Portland PR.
Now Keir Starmer hires Tim Allan, as executive director of UK government communications – prior adviser to Blair in No 10 who funded firm Portland PR.
Portland has form for human rights abuse, corruption and coverup.🧵 https://t.co/ZsfJgHFScb

— Jane Samuels (@Jane_Samuels) September 1, 2025

Sub tweet: Important to note – this entire scandal (including payment to Portland Communications) was funded by the very energy companies who refuse to take responsibility for the climate crisis that will impact all our lives. #Fifa #WorldCup #COP27 https://t.co/StUTXIZiBa

— Jane Samuels (@Jane_Samuels) November 22, 2022

Portland’s other clients included BAE Systems – a British multinational defense, aerospace, and security company. They provide parts for Israeli fighter jets, which the IDF are using to commit genocide in Gaza.

This is big

Unite represents many BAE Systems workers

BAE manufactures parts for Israeli F-15, F-16 and F-35 fighter jets, which are used to bomb kids in Lebanon, Gaza, Iran and Yemen https://t.co/dgvi0S64Ao

— Matt Kennard (@kennardmatt) July 11, 2025

They also worked for Heathrow Airport and William Hill, so clearly they are a company without a conscience.

#c4news How exciting. Tim Allan who runs a “communications” company representing the repressive Qatar, arms firm BAE Systems and the fizzy drinks firms fighting anti-obesity legislation. And who donated to the Change UK party of Friends of Israel MP Luciana Berger & co 🙄 https://t.co/D5GT5iDh1e

— Jacks 🍉 (@danny28748565) September 1, 2025

It gets worse

Back in 2016, the Canary reported on some of the controversies surrounding Portland Communications. From nowhere-to-be-seen directors, to Tony Blair’s pals and the coup against Jeremy Corbyn – there were more questions than answers surrounding the company.

Are we not talking. Abt all then or corruption from this right wing ghoul https://t.co/O5LfezTC3Y pic.twitter.com/oJiyR2cH3w

— Waapa (@smerkinkones) September 1, 2025

I swear to the almighty, this government make me want to put my head through the fucking wall https://t.co/SZvOe2yEUD

— DevilPunch😈 (@Devilpunch2) September 1, 2025

The Canary exposed how Portland played a central role in orchestrating the 2016 coup attempt against Corbyn, alongside the Fabian Society.

One thing is clear – Portland seem to repeatedly be on the side of the bad guys.

Portland Communications is one of those companies that every evil fucker in the world goes to help clean up their image https://t.co/APqHO261Nn

— Terry Fuck (@terryfuck45) September 1, 2025

Tim Allan was a ‘spin-doctor’ under Blair – but even the best spin-doctor in the world could not fix Starmer’s mess.

Blair’s former press secretary.

Blair and his government was famous for their ‘spin’ Spin no longer works when in the era of social media.

Out of touch. Out of their depth. Old tactics in different times.

Another Labour calamity.https://t.co/YCEBhsL3h3

— haymansafc 🌸 (@haymansafc) September 1, 2025

Tim Allan is undoubtedly very capable, but it will take a lot more than ‘superb and grown-up’ comms to save this government.

The problem isn’t disinformation but the complete absence of any remotely progressive moral compass to guide policy. https://t.co/s92Wbn6ksl

— Steve Howell (@FromSteveHowell) September 1, 2025

Tim Allan: balls deep in scandal

Tim Allan has been balls deep in controversy for years, and he’s probably made a hell of a lot of money in the process. But now, his appointment proves that Starmer has no moral compass. And no shiny new (or old and grey) comms director will fix that.

Feature image via