Sir Keir Starmer's former communications director has publicly criticised the culture of excessive media briefing from within government, warning it limits ministers' ability to make decisions.
Podcast Remarks on Government Culture
Speaking to Sky News political editor Beth Rigby on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast on Friday 5 December 2025, Matthew Doyle stated there is "far too much briefing" to journalists from inside Whitehall. He argued that this practice stifles honest private conversation among politicians.
"I think it would be better if there was more space for politicians to be able to have honest conversations in private with their colleagues and not have to worry that things were going to end up being selectively put into the media afterwards," Doyle said.
He emphasised that the official communications staff in Downing Street have a role in narrating events, but stressed a key rule: "you shouldn't say anything in a briefing, that you wouldn't be happy for it to also appear as a quotation."
Peerage Speculation and Background
During the interview, Doyle did not deny reports that he could be appointed to the House of Lords. When asked directly by Rigby if he was about to be handed a peerage, he offered no reply.
This follows a report in The Guardian which suggested Doyle is on a list of roughly 25 new peers expected to be created in the new year.
Matthew Doyle served as Downing Street's director of communications between July 2024 and March 2025. Prior to that, he was the director of communications for the Labour Party.
Impact on Decision-Making
Doyle, drawing on his frontline experience, claimed that communications staff are rarely the source of the most headline-grabbing leaks, but are left to "pick up the pieces afterwards."
He concluded that the current environment, where politicians lack "safe spaces" for confidential discussion, directly hampers the government's decision-making ability. His comments shine a light on the ongoing tensions between media management and internal governance within the UK administration.
