Downing Street is seeing changes in Sir Keir Starmer’s team as his communications chief, Matthew Doyle, has resigned after serving for the past nine months. Doyle, a Labour veteran who previously worked for Tony Blair, initially joined Sir Keir’s team four years ago during the party’s time in opposition. This comes as the second senior member to leave Sir Keir’s team within a year of the general election, following Sue Gray’s departure as chief of staff in the autumn.
Doyle’s departure has taken many by surprise, with sources indicating that he had started to become increasingly detached from his role. It was noted that James Lyons had been taking charge and doing an excellent job at leading the communications strategy. Doyle brings over twenty-five years of experience with the Labour party, starting off as the head of press back in 1998 and later moving on to various roles within communications with the party. He also worked for Blair’s administration and later with the charity International Rescue alongside David Miliband, the former foreign secretary.
Upon joining Sir Keir Starmer’s team in the summer of 2021, Doyle faced a challenging period for Labour, marked by a significant defeat in a by-election in Hartlepool. In an email to colleagues announcing his decision to step down, Doyle expressed pride in the progress made by the party under Sir Keir’s leadership. Sir Keir, in a statement, praised Doyle’s contributions to the historic election win and expressed gratitude for their partnership. Discussions are now underway to reorganize Labour’s communications team, with Ms. Driver and Mr. Lyons expected to take on key responsibilities previously held by Doyle.
As new arrangements for the communications team are being discussed, the role vacated by Doyle is set to be divided among Ms. Driver and Mr. Lyons, focusing on different aspects of media interaction and government announcements. Meanwhile, the former chief of staff, Lady Gray of Tottenham, recently faced a tumultuous exit after facing a briefing campaign against her by colleagues. The ongoing changes in Downing Street reflect the dynamic nature of political teams and the evolving landscape of communications strategies within the government
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