Health Secretary Wes Streeting‘s fiancé has been handed a senior role at Labour headquarters.

Joe Dancey, a former government special adviser and public affairs consultant, has been appointed as the party’s new executive director of policy and communications.

The revelation risks plunging Sir Keir Starmer‘s party into a fresh cronyism row.

The position comes with a salary of £104,985-a-year and is arguably only second in significance to the party’s general secretary.

It was created after Sir Keir’s director of communications Matthew Doyle and head of policy Stuart Ingham entered government.

Mr Darcey, who has been engaged to Mr Streeting since 2022, was announced as the successful candidate in a message to Labour staff yesterday, The Times reported.

In his new post, which was advertised, he will be responsible for “strategic leadership and oversight” of the party’s media operation and policy work.

The 48-year-old was Labour’s general election candidate for the northern Stockton West seat but he lost to Tory Matt Vickers.

Mr Dancey previously worked for Labour cabinet ministers Baroness Amos and Lord Mandelson.

He also runs his own political and communications consultancy, Endeavour Advisory.

His appointment has largely been well-received among party staff, but some have privately questioned his experience in communications.

His appointment is the latest in a series of Labour figures with close family links.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s sister, Ellie Reeves, is the party’s chair, while Mr Ingham is married to Jess Leigh, a special adviser to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

Labour declined to comment.