Keir Starmer’s director of communications in No10 is to quit after just nine months in the job in a shock move.
Matthew Doyle will stand down from his role despite being in the position for less than a year. The key Starmer ally said “it’s time to pass the baton on” as he spoke of his pride in winning the general election with Labour. The move marks further shake-up in Downing Street after Sue Gray, the PM’s chief of staff, dramatically quit in the Autumn after months of damaging media coverage.
Mr Doyle, who previously worked for Tony Blair, is said to have made the decision to leave after feeling he had stabilised No10’s communications strategy and narrative over the past few months, following the turbulence of the early days in government, according to the Guardian, which first reported the news.
In a statement from No10, Mr Starmer said: “Matthew brought his considerable experience to my team in summer 2021 and has worked tirelessly by my side every day since, playing a leading role in Labour’s historical election win. On a personal level, it has been a real privilege to work with him. On behalf of the entire team, I wish him all the very best in his next role.”
In an email to his No10 team, seen by the newspaper, Mr Doyle wrote: “When I started working for Keir four years ago, not many people thought we could win a general election and certainly not in the emphatic way we did. That was down to the hard work and determination of so many people and of course Keir’s leadership.
“I am incredibly proud of the part I have played in returning our party to government and the change we are already bringing to the country. Now it’s time to pass the baton on.”
After thanking civil service colleagues, he added: “To my political colleagues, we’ve been on quite a journey, and I look forward to cheering you, Keir and the whole government on from the sidelines. I can’t wait to see what you all do next.”
Mr Doyle’s departure is expected to open the door for the rise of James Lyons, a former NHS and TikTok communications boss, and a previous political journalist for the Mirror. The director of communications role is understood to be being split between Mr Lyons, who will be in charge of communications strategy, and Mr Doyle’s deputy Steph Driver, who will run communications delivery.
BLUESKY: Follow our Mirror Politics account on Bluesky here. And follow our Mirror Politics team here – Lizzy Buchan, Mikey Smith, Kevin Maguire, Sophie Huskisson, Dave Burke and Ashley Cowburn.
POLITICS WHATSAPP: Be first to get the biggest bombshells and breaking news by joining our Politics WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you want to leave our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
NEWSLETTER: Or sign up here to the Mirror’s Politics newsletter for all the best exclusives and opinions straight to your inbox.
PODCAST: And listen to our exciting new political podcast The Division Bell, hosted by the Mirror and the Express every Thursday.
In October, Ms Gray resigned as Mr Starmer’s chief of staff after months of turbulence. The key figure in the Prime Minister’s circle said she was standing down after “intense” coverage of her in the news was becoming a “distraction”. In a statement, she said it had “become clear to me that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government’s vital work of change”.
Ms Gray had been at the centre of controversy since Labour was elected to government. In September a row broke out after it emerged she was paid more than the PM, with figures in and around government giving highly negative briefings about her to the press. It was a major talking point at the party’s annual conference – which Ms Gray notably chose not to attend at the last minute.
Get UK politics insight with our free daily email briefing straight to your inbox