There is no respite for the Prime Minister with the crisis at Downing Street remaining a threat to Sir Keir Starmer’s position. The damage has already been done by the Peter Mandelson scandal.

But now the appointment of Lord Matthew Doyle, his former communications chief, to the House of Lords has created another headache for the PM.

As Tory leader Kemi Badenoch pointed out, “the Mandelson episode was not an isolated incident”.

The issue is that the Prime Minister’s approach needs a drastic change.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer leaving 10 Downing Street, London. PIC: James Manning/PA Wire

placeholder image — Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer leaving 10 Downing Street, London. PIC: James Manning/PA Wire

While discipline was much needed following the disastrous Corbyn years, he can no longer go on ruling with an iron fist.

The problems arise from group think that has afflicted his inner circle. The fact that no one thought twice about appointing Mandelson as ambassador to the US or Doyle’s elevation to the Lords shows that judgement is clearly lacking.

And responsibility for this lands at the PM’s door. Comments from Tim Allan, who until this week was communications chief in No 10, about the vetting of Doyle only raises further questions over the robustness of the operations at Downing Street.

What should make the PM rethink his approach is the fact that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has hit out at Labour briefings “dripping with misogyny”.

Criticism that there is a ‘boys’s club’ within Downing Street will sting the Prime Minister. Especially after he promised a shift in culture upon entering Downing Street.

Sir Keir desperately needs a reset and that should involve a more pluralistic approach. If the PM wants to serve the nation then he needs a Government of all talents and advisors that are going to put the country before petty internal briefings. That may well involve appointing people that aren’t necessarily seen as Starmer loyalists.