Sir Keir Starmer’s niece has been selected to stand in one of the safest Labour wards in London, sparking accusations of nepotism from local activists who say she was “parachuted into a safe Labour seat” because of her famous uncle.
Ellie Sandover, who is in her mid-20s, will contest Bensham Manor ward in Croydon at next week’s local elections — a seat that has long been considered among Labour’s most secure in the capital. Her mother is Katy Swabey, one of the Prime Minister’s three siblings, who works as a nurse in the care sector.
The selection has caused resentment within the local party, not least because two sitting Labour councillors for the ward — Eunice O’Dame and Enid Molyneux — were blocked by the party from standing as candidates to make way for the new selection. Local members told the Inside Croydon website they were “disappointed no selection happened” in the normal way, with one adding that Sandover was “not very visible in campaign or community.” A resident described her as “a very new member to the party.”
Sandover was selected in August last year, following a period working as a parliamentary intern for Sarah Jones, the policing minister and MP for Croydon West. She previously served as “youth engagement lead” at Legacy Youth Zone, a Croydon-based charity. She holds a degree from the Central School of Speech and Drama and a master’s in law.
A Labour Party spokesman insisted the selection had been conducted in line with party rules and procedures, and said it was “categorically incorrect” to suggest Sandover had been chosen in anything other than the normal way. “Labour is proud to have a strong set of local candidates standing for election in Croydon and right across London,” the spokesman said.
The row arrives at a deeply uncomfortable moment for Starmer. Concerns about cronyism have followed the Prime Minister since he took office in July 2024, according to The Telegraph, with critics noting a pattern of individuals connected to him or to those around him being elevated to significant positions. The selection of his niece for a safe seat — with two sitting councillors removed to accommodate her — is likely to add significant fuel to those concerns in the days immediately before polling.
