Stephen Flynn urges Keir Starmer to ‘come clean’ over Matthew Doyle job hunt

The SNP’s Stephen Flynn has written to Keir Starmer urging him to “come clean” over a Downing Street job hunt for Matthew Doyle.

Doyle, the prime minister’s former director of communications, was made a life peer in January.

His entry to the House of Lords follows revelations about his connection to convicted paedophile Sean Morton, a former Scottish Labour councillor.

It has now emerged that Downing Street sought to make Doyle an ambassador.

The Foreign Affairs Committee this week heard that Starmer’s team initiated “several” discussions about “finding a head-of-mission opportunity” for Doyle, and told mandarins not to inform the foreign secretary about the move.

The disclosure came during an evidence session about the appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US.

Long-serving civil servant Olly Robbins, who lost his job over the matter, was appearing before the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

Starmer was asked about the matter at Prime Minister’s Questions today, when he said: “Matthew Doyle worked for many years in public service, for me as prime minister and other ministers.

“When people leave roles in any organisation there are often conversations about other roles they want to apply for, but nothing came of this.”

Doyle campaigned for Morton after he was charged with the possession and distribution of indecent images of children in December 2016.

He has since said that his support was given before Morton admitted guilt, and has apologised for the association.

Flynn, who is seeking election to the Scottish Parliament, has now written to the prime minister demanding that he come clean over his involvement in the Doyle job search, asking to what degree he was involved and whether he sanctioned it.

Saying there are “serious questions” to answer, Flynn stated: “The public deserves honesty from a prime minister who has provided over a culture of cronyism and chaos in government. What was his role in trying to stitch up a posting as an ambassador for Matthew Doyle? Why did he choose to appoint Matthew Doyle to the House of Lords despite knowing of his links to a convicted paedophile?

“Starmer must now publish all communications and documentation related to the plot to set Doyle up with a plum job at the tax-payer’s expense, and all relevant material on the decision to appoint Doyle to the House of Lords. If he won’t do so voluntarily, then parliament must force him to.”