Starmer Shoots The Messenger - Doyle Out

 

Starmer has sacked his Director of Communications, Matthew Doyle, after just nine months in the role. The move, reported by outlets like Guido Fawkes and echoed across social media, has reignited debates about Labour’s persistent struggles with messaging and public perception. Doyle’s departure is the latest in a string of personnel shake-ups in Starmer’s inner circle, raising questions about why this decision was made, who Doyle was, and why Labour continues to flounder in the communications arena despite holding power.

 

Why Starmer Sacked Doyle

The precise reasons for Doyle’s dismissal remain murky, as official statements from Downing Street have been characteristically tight-lipped. However, the timing and context suggest a mix of internal friction and dissatisfaction with Labour’s public image. 

 

Posts on X and insider commentary point to "warfare in Downing Street," hinting at a clash of personalities or strategies within Starmer’s top team. Doyle, who joined the government after Labour’s landslide victory in the 2024 general election, was tasked with stabilising a communications operation that had stumbled through a rocky first few months in power. His tenure followed the controversial exit of Sue Gray, Starmer’s former Chief of Staff, whose departure in October 2024 was partly blamed on poor handling of scandals like "Freebiegate"—where Starmer and other Labour figures were criticised for accepting lavish gifts.

 

Doyle’s sacking may reflect Starmer’s frustration with the government’s inability to shake off negative headlines and project a coherent narrative. Since taking office, Labour has faced backlash over welfare cuts, perceived hypocrisy on donations, and a failure to deliver the "hope" promised in Starmer’s victory speech on July 5, 2024. With child poverty projected to rise and local councillors defecting over policy decisions, the party’s messaging has been reactive rather than proactive. Doyle, despite his experience, appears to have been unable to turn the tide, and his exit could be Starmer’s attempt to reset a faltering operation as the government approaches its first year in power.

 

Who Was Matthew Doyle?

Matthew Doyle was no stranger to Labour politics when he stepped into the Director of Communications role in June 2024. A seasoned operator from the Tony Blair era, Doyle had a robust pedigree: he served as head of press and broadcasting for Labour from 1998 to 2005, then as a special adviser to Blair from 2005 to 2007. After a stint as Blair’s political director post-Downing Street, he returned to Labour in 2021 as an interim communications chief following the party’s disastrous Hartlepool by-election defeat. His permanent appointment in 2022 saw him steer Labour’s media strategy through the 2024 election, a campaign widely praised for its discipline and focus.

 

Known for his combative style and Blairite leanings, Doyle was seen as a safe pair of hands to manage Starmer’s transition from opposition to government. His role involved not just crafting the government’s public message but also countering attacks from an increasingly hostile press and a resurgent opposition. Yet, his Blairite roots may have clashed with a party still wrestling with its ideological identity under Starmer, who has shifted Labour to the centre while alienating parts of its left-wing base. Doyle’s departure, splitting his role between two existing team members—one for strategy, another for delivery—suggests a recalibration of approach, possibly signalling that his top-down, traditionalist style no longer suited Starmer’s needs.

 

Why Labour Is So Bad at Comms

Labour’s communications struggles are not new, but they’ve become glaringly apparent under Starmer’s premiership. Several factors contribute to this persistent weakness.

 

First, there’s a lack of clarity in vision. Starmer campaigned on "change" and "national renewal," but his government has been bogged down in pragmatic, often unpopular decisions—like cutting winter fuel payments and tightening welfare eligibility—without a compelling story to tie them together. Critics argue this reflects a deeper identity crisis: is Labour a party of progressive reform or a cautious, managerial outfit? Without a clear answer, its messaging feels disjointed, failing to inspire voters or counter accusations of austerity-by-stealth.

 

Second, internal divisions hamper coherence. The sacking of figures like Sam Tarry in 2022 for joining picket lines and Andrew Gwynne in 2025 over WhatsApp scandals show a party still grappling with dissent. Starmer’s purge of the left, while consolidating his control, has left Labour with a narrow, technocratic voice that struggles to connect emotionally with the public. The departure of Sue Gray, blamed by some for "control freakery," and now Doyle, points to a revolving door of advisers unable to align the party’s factions or project unity.

 

Third, Labour has been outmanoeuvred by a hostile media landscape and a nimble opposition. The Conservative press has pounced on every misstep, from freebies to welfare cuts, while Reform UK and Nigel Farage exploit Labour’s perceived elitism. Doyle’s team failed to anticipate or neutralise these narratives, leaving Starmer on the defensive. Compare this to Blair’s era, where spin doctors like Alastair Campbell dominated the news cycle—Labour today lacks that ruthless media savvy.

 

Finally, Starmer himself is a liability. His lawyerly demeanour, effective in opposition debates, translates poorly to the inspirational leadership voters crave in government. His discomfort in unscripted settings, noted as early as 2021 by observers like Maggie Scammell, leaves Labour’s comms team with an uphill battle to humanise him.

 

Conclusion

Matthew Doyle’s sacking is less about one man’s failure and more a symptom of Labour’s broader communications malaise. A veteran brought in to steady the ship, he couldn’t overcome a party lacking a unified message, a leader uneasy in the spotlight, and a government battered by early controversies. 

 

As Starmer splits the comms role and searches for a new approach, the clock is ticking to salvage his administration’s reputation before the 2026 local elections—or risk proving critics right that Labour’s victory was more about Tory fatigue than its own merits. For now, the revolving door in Downing Street spins on, and Labour’s voice remains muddled.