Olly Robbins: I was asked to find job for Starmer aide and not tell David Lammy | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
The former minister revealed Downing Street had pushed the Foreign Office to find a diplomatic role for Keir Starmer’s communications chief, replacing the then foreign secretary.
Giving evidence to MPs at parliament’s foreign affairs select committee on Tuesday, Olly Robbins said he had held several meetings with Number 10 to find a role for Matthew Doyle, who was suspended as his Labor colleague after it emerged he was campaigning for a friend who was later accused of possessing indecent images of children.
Robbins said he was asked not to mention the idea to David Lammy, then foreign secretary.
Robbins said the talks were part of a general push from those at the top of the government to install senior political figures in top diplomatic posts. He made the statement while testifying to the committee regarding the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington.
“There were a number of discussions initiated with me by No 10 about potentially finding a head of duty opportunity for Matthew Doyle, who was then the prime minister’s director of communications,” he said. “I was under strict instructions not to discuss this matter with the then foreign minister.”
He added: “To be honest, it was difficult to come up with something that I thought would be appropriate. But I was also quite uncomfortable with it and kept advising that I thought it would be very difficult for the State Department and for me personally to defend.”
Doyle himself was part of Mandelson’s vetting process and told the prime minister he was “delighted” with his former Labor counterpart’s answers about his relationship with child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Robbins added that No 10 then asked Mandelson to find Doyle a role on the US network.
Doyle said Tuesday afternoon that he was unaware of attempts to secure a diplomatic role for him.
“I have never sought any chief of mission, ambassador or equivalent leadership type role. I have never been aware of anyone speaking to the FCDO. [Foreign Office] “There was talk of such a role for me,” he said. “After leaving No 10, my ambition was to stay in UK politics.”
Speaking to MPs on Tuesday afternoon, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said she thought it was wrong to pressure Robbins without telling Lammy and that it would be absolutely wrong to appoint Doyle to a diplomatic post.
“Of course, I am extremely concerned about any suggestion that the permanent secretary or permanent undersecretary of the Foreign Office would be told not to inform the foreign secretary,” he said. “I can also confirm that the case he puts forward would not be an appropriate appointment.”
Robbins told the committee that he felt the attempt to appoint Doyle was part of “non-career diplomats being given senior diplomatic roles.”
He added: “It was difficult for me personally as a leader, and to be honest, to explain why very talented and experienced diplomats were having to leave the organization and that people who were widely perceived to be less credentialed would be contributing to this important work.”
Robbins said the talks took place in March 2025, shortly before Doyle left Downing Street.
He was later given a seat in the House of Lords, but was suspended from the Labor Party this February after it was reported that he campaigned for Sean Morton in the 2016 local elections. Morton was a former Labor Party councilor accused of possessing indecent images in Scotland and was sentenced two years later.
Downing Street refused to comment on Robbins’ accusations on Tuesday, saying: “We won’t get into personnel issues.”
