David Dinsmore will stand down as Permanent Secretary, Director of Communications, by mutual agreement on 30 September, the Cabinet Office said in a news story published on 26 August 2026. He was appointed to lead a programme of reform across government communications.

The department said a wide-ranging Government Communications strategy had been developed during his tenure, with a Strategy Unit established alongside the Government Media Unit, and that foundations had been laid for the next phase of implementation. Following the change of Prime Minister and administration, Dinsmore and the First Secretary of State agreed this was an appropriate point to hand over leadership of the programme.

Dinsmore said government communications was moving from strategic design into implementation, and that he left with confidence in the civil servants taking the work forward. Cabinet Secretary Dame Antonia Romeo praised his work establishing the strategy, structures and capabilities for change.