Foreign Office was asked to find role for senior Starmer aide, says Olly Robbins
Summary
Downing Street asked the Foreign Office to find a diplomatic job for Matthew Doyle, who was then Keir Starmer’s communications chief. Olly Robbins, a senior civil servant, said he was told not to tell the foreign secretary about this and found it difficult to support because Doyle later faced serious allegations.Key Facts
- Downing Street requested a diplomatic role be found for Matthew Doyle.
- Doyle was the communications chief for Keir Starmer at the time.
- Olly Robbins, former lead civil servant at the Foreign Office, testified about these requests to Parliament.
- Robbins was told not to mention this to then Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
- Robbins found it hard to justify giving senior diplomatic jobs to people without a diplomatic background.
- These talks took place in March 2025, shortly before Doyle left Downing Street.
- Doyle was made a member of the House of Lords but suspended from the Labour party in 2026.
- Doyle had campaigned for Sean Morton, who was charged and later convicted for possessing illegal images.
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