No 10 considered giving Doyle ambassador role, sacked official says
Summary
Downing Street (No 10) considered giving Lord Doyle, the former director of communications for the UK prime minister, a diplomatic ambassador role, according to Sir Olly Robbins, a former senior Foreign Office official. Lord Doyle, who became a member of the House of Lords in 2026, was later suspended over his links to a convicted sex offender, and questions have been raised about political appointments in the UK government.Key Facts
- No 10 discussed offering Lord Doyle a head of mission (ambassador) role while he was still the PM’s director of communications.
- Sir Olly Robbins said he was told not to inform the foreign secretary about these discussions and found it uncomfortable.
- Lord Doyle was made a peer in the House of Lords in January 2026 but was suspended in February 2026 due to links to a convicted sex offender.
- Lord Doyle apologized for supporting Sean Morton, who was convicted for child image offenses, explaining he acted when Morton was maintaining his innocence.
- Sir Olly Robbins was sacked after revealing that Lord Mandelson was granted security clearance despite concerns during vetting.
- There are wider concerns about political appointments by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer involving Lord Doyle and Lord Mandelson.
- Critics accuse the Labour Party leadership of favoritism and poor judgment in these appointments.
- The controversy has led to questions about how such appointments affect public trust in the UK government.
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