Who Is David Dinsmore? The Former Sun Editor Given a Top Communications Job by Keir Starmer

Keir Starmer appointed David Dinsmore, the former editor of The Sun newspaper, to a senior communications role in the UK government. This new position, called Permanent Secretary for Communications, is a key role designed to improve government messaging and media strategies.

David Dinsmore’s Career Background

David Dinsmore started his journalism career at the Scottish Sun in 1990. He worked his way up and became its editor in 2006. Later, he became editor of The Sun between 2013 and 2015. After that, he moved into leadership roles at News UK, including Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President by 2022.

During his time as editor, The Sun saw a rise in online subscriptions, almost doubling from 117,000 to 225,000. Parts of the newspaper went behind a paywall under his leadership. He earned recognition in the media world, ranking 27th in the 2014 Media Guardian 100 list and 67th in GQ’s ‘Most Connected Men in Britain’ in 2015.

Controversies During His Tenure at The Sun

David Dinsmore’s time at The Sun was marked by several controversies:

• Sexual Offence Reporting Conviction: In 2016, Dinsmore was convicted of breaking the Sexual Offences Act. This was because The Sun printed a photo of a teenage victim of sexual abuse without hiding her identity. The victim was abused by footballer Adam Johnson. A judge ruled Dinsmore did not know the law was broken but fined him £1,300 in costs and £1,000 compensation to the victim.

• Page 3 and Sexism Criticism: Before Dinsmore left as editor, The Sun stopped publishing its famous “Page 3” topless models after years of protests. However, in 2014, a campaign group named him “Sexist of the Year” for initially defending the page. Dinsmore once said Page 3 was a “good way of selling newspapers.”

• Katie Hopkins Columns: Dinsmore allowed columnist Katie Hopkins to write weekly pieces described as controversial and offensive. Hopkins called asylum seekers “cockroaches” and suggested extreme measures like using “gunships” to stop them. Both Hopkins and Dinsmore were reported to the police for inciting racial hatred, but no charges were filed.

• Phone Hacking Allegations: Dinsmore faced criticism from the campaign group Hacked Off. They accused him of denying The Sun’s involvement in phone hacking scandals, which were eventually admitted in 2025. Hacked Off called Dinsmore’s appointment an insult to taxpayers and to victims of the Hillsborough disaster, which The Sun notoriously misreported.

Public Reaction and Criticism

The decision to hire Dinsmore for a senior government role has sparked backlash. Many Labour MPs, especially from Liverpool, oppose it due to The Sun’s past coverage of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. Campaigners and media watchdogs question whether someone with Dinsmore’s controversial history should hold such a public position.

Despite the criticism, sources say Sir Keir Starmer personally chose Dinsmore because of his knowledge of modern media and communication challenges. The role of Permanent Secretary for Communications is new and meant to strengthen government messaging.