Starmer admits his former spin doctor was considered for top ambassador job

Sir Keir Starmer has admitted the former spin doctor was being considered for a key role as ambassador despite having no experience of the role.

Sacked Foreign Office chief Olly Robbins made a bombshell statement while giving evidence into the Peter Mandelson scandal on Tuesday, saying No 10 was pushing for a diplomatic role for the prime minister’s former communications chief Matthew Doyle, but urged Sir Olly to keep the request secret from then-foreign secretary David Lammy.

Sir Olly said this approach made him feel “quite uncomfortable”. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said she was “extremely concerned” by the allegations and that Lord Doyle would not be an “appropriate” choice for such a role.

Asked about the allegations during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Sir Keir said: “When people leave roles within any organization there are often conversations about other roles they would like to apply for, but nothing has come of that.”

Although Lord Doyle was not given the post of diplomat, he was later elevated to the House of Lords. But just a few weeks later he was stripped of the Labor whip over his links to a convicted pedophile.

Opposition critics accused the Prime Minister of nepotism over the alleged lobbying activity, while Sir Olly said he was not sure “who was behind it” or “how serious the incident was”.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch told the House of Commons: “I am astonished at how much fraud Labor MPs are committing. He promised them honesty.”

“It gave them nepotism and an old boys’ club where Matthew Doyle was recommended as ambassador. This is ridiculous.”

Sir Olly told members of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs committee on Tuesday that finding such a role for Lord Doyle would be “very difficult” for the government to defend. At the time, the State Department was dismissing top diplomats, including ambassadors, as part of a potential restructuring.

He also said he was “strictly instructed not to discuss this disturbing matter with the then foreign secretary (David Lammy).”

Sir Olly claimed that Lord Mandelson was also asked about the possibility of Lord Doyle taking up a post in Washington.

No 10 refused to say whether Sir Keir had apologized to Mr Lammy over the allegations.

In the House of Commons on Wednesday, Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, asked the prime minister if he knew that No 10 had suggested finding a diplomatic role for Lord Doyle, whom he described as “another friend of Labour”.

Sir Keir dodged the question, reiterating that Lord Doyle had worked in the public service for many years and that “when people leave roles within any organisation, there are often conversations about other roles they might want to apply for”.

Also during the PMQs, Sir Keir claimed Sir Olly’s appearance before MPs “disproved all the allegations” made against him regarding the process of appointing Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US.

He also insisted under questioning from Ms Badenoch that he would not resign.

Sir Olly was sacked by the Prime Minister last week after it emerged he had failed to tell Sir Keir that Lord Mandelson was allowed to take on the senior diplomatic post, despite vetting officials advising him otherwise.

On Tuesday, Sir Olly told MPs he had only been told Mandelson’s case was “borderline”, adding that there was a “condescending approach” to the No 10 inquiry and an “atmosphere of pressure” for Lord Mandelson to be taken to Washington as soon as possible.

Sir Keir told the PMQs: “Yesterday, (Sir Olly) was asked if he had shared this decision with me, No 10 or any other minister. He gave a clear answer: no. This invalidates any allegations made by my detractors about fraud.”

“Last week they were all saying this should have been shared with me. Sir Olly was very clear yesterday it wasn’t.”

But the Conservative Party leader hit back: “I can’t accuse the Prime Minister of deliberately misleading the House of Representatives, but everyone can see what’s going on here.

“This was not a fair process… Will the Prime Minister finally take responsibility and walk away?”

In February, Labor said Lord Doyle had been suspended after it was revealed he had helped campaign on behalf of his friend, convicted pedophile and former councilor Sean Morton.

The scandal emerged just months after Lord Mandelson was sacked as US ambassador after new information emerged about his long-term friendship with convicted pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Lord Doyle, who worked in opposition for Sir Keir and will enter Downing Street with him in 2024, campaigned on Morton’s behalf when he ran as an independent in May 2017, four months after Morton appeared in court on charges of possessing indecent images of children. Morton later pleaded guilty to the crime.

Lord Doyle apologized for supporting Morton before the case against him was concluded and said he believed his claims of innocence at the time.

In a statement on Tuesday, Lord Doyle said he had never sought such a position and was not aware of anyone approaching the Foreign Office about finding one for him.