Keir Starmer’s communications chief Matthew Doyle quits after simply 9 months in Downing Street | EUROtoday

Sir Keir Starmer’s communications chief has stepped down from his function after a turbulent 9 months in Downing Street and repeated complaints concerning the get together’s media technique.

Matthew Doyle, who additionally served as a particular adviser underneath Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, is stepping down as director of communications with fast impact. Cabinet ministers had ceaselessly complained about Labour’s communication, together with round its post-election convention final September.

Many inside Labour had known as for a change in course, and sources in Downing Street have mentioned they’re proud of the reset.

He is the second senior member of Sir Keir’s staff to go away in lower than a yr following his former chief of workers Sue Gray, who was pressured out in an influence battle together with her successor Morgan McSweeney.

Mr Doyle is known to have determined now’s the time to step down after feeling he had stabilised No 10’s communications technique and narrative over the previous few months, following the turbulence of the early days in authorities, The Guardian reported.

In an e mail to his staff seen by the paper, he mentioned: “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.”

Mr Doyle mentioned the political staff in Downing Street have been on “quite a journey” and mentioned he will probably be cheering the federal government on “from the sidelines”.

The PM mentioned: “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 historic election win.

“On a personal level, it has been a real privilege to work with him on behalf of the entire team.”

He is just not being straight changed however may have his function cut up between deputy communications director Steph Driver and James Lyons, a former TikTok communications chief who has served as a strategic advisor since earlier this yr and can take the director of communications function.

Ms Gray was sacked as chief of workers final yr after dropping an influence battle with election strategist Mr McSweeney.

It got here because the PM sought to reshuffle his prime staff of advisers amid a dreadful begin to his authorities tormented by infighting, a row over freebies and complaints that he had didn’t get his message throughout on thorny points just like the ditching of winter gas funds.

Mr Doyle was Labour’s head of press and broadcasting from November 1998 to May 2005, earlier than becoming a member of Sir Tony’s staff as deputy director of communications.

He was then accountable for TV debates underneath Mr Brown as prime minister within the 2010 basic election.

He returned to Sir Keir’s staff initially on an interim foundation after Labour misplaced the Hartlepool by-election in 2021, together with his function finally being made everlasting. Despite hypothesis that Labour would change Mr Doyle and search to fill the function with a senior political journalist, he was introduced into Downing Street as director of communications after the final election in July.

As effectively as organising his personal consultancy, Mr Doyle additionally spent a interval working on the International Rescue Committee with former international secretary David Miliband.

Mr Doyle has been approached for remark.