Jack Doyle has become the second senior member of Downing Street staff to quit in a matter of hours.
The now-former director of communications at No 10 was previously a journalist, most recently for the Daily Mail where he was associate editor (politics) before his move to Downing Street in 2020.
Mr Doyle was at the Mail for 10 years, before which he worked for the Press Association as home affairs correspondent.
He started in Downing Street as press secretary before becoming deputy director of communications and finally bagging the top job.
Mr Doyle, a policeman’s son, had been thrust into the limelight in recent weeks amid allegations he was at two Covid restriction-busting gatherings which are now under investigation by police.
He became director of communications after the departure of James Slack – now the deputy editor-in-chief at The Sun – who has also been caught up in the partygate saga over a leaving do held for him in No 10 the night before the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral, for which he has apologised.
It was reported Mr Doyle had offered the PM his resignation over the gatherings but that Mr Johnson had refused to accept it. Downing Street denied Mr Doyle offered to quit, and said that the Prime Minister had “full confidence” in him.
Mr Doyle was reported to have vetoed plans for the daily briefings held with Westminster journalists to be televised.
The sessions would have been fronted by the Prime Minister’s former press secretary Allegra Stratton who also resigned as part of the allegations of parties across No 10 and Whitehall.
Mr Doyle is reported to have told staff it was always his intention to step down after two years but his resignation comes as Mr Johnson is fighting to save his premiership.
