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Starmer admits No 10 asked about job for aide Matthew Doyle
Sir Olly Robbins said Downing Street initiated several talks about a diplomatic posting for Matthew Doyle as senior diplomats faced possible job losses.
- On Tuesday, former Foreign Office permanent secretary Sir Olly Robbins told the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee that Downing Street pressured him to find a "head of mission" role for Matthew Doyle while instructing him to hide the request from then-Foreign Secretary David Lammy.
- Lord Matthew Doyle was suspended from the House of Lords in February after campaigning for Sean Morton, a former councillor convicted of possessing indecent images of children, despite his elevation to the peerage last December.
- Robbins testified that No 10 applied a "dismissive approach" to Lord Mandelson's security vetting for the U.S. ambassadorship. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of delivering "cronyism and an old boys' club."
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended the process Wednesday, stating "often conversations about other roles" occur when staff leave. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey described the revelations as "completely shocking" and called for an inquiry.
- Matthew Doyle denied seeking any "head of mission" or ambassador role, asserting his desire to remain in UK politics. The incident compounds pressure on Starmer following Lord Mandelson's resignation over his association with Jeffrey Epstein.
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Total News Sources19
Leaning Left7Leaning Right2Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution54% Left
Bias Distribution
- 54% of the sources lean Left
54% Left
L 54%
C 31%
15%
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