PM Accuses Former Aide of Withholding Information in Lords Appointment Row
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has declared that his former communications chief, Lord Matthew Doyle, did not provide a complete account of his connections to a paedophile councillor when he was appointed to the House of Lords. This revelation comes amid a mounting political scandal that has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties.
Downing Street Resists Calls to Strip Peerage
Number 10 has declined to commit to removing Lord Doyle's peerage, arguing that such action could prejudice an ongoing Labour investigation into the appointment. A spokesman for the Prime Minister emphasised that there is no established precedent for withdrawing a peerage nomination after it has been announced, highlighting the need for broader reforms to vetting and appointment processes.
The controversy centres on Lord Doyle's campaigning for Sean Morton, a Moray councillor, in 2017—after Morton had been charged with possessing indecent images of children. Lord Doyle has since apologised, stating he believed Morton's assertions of innocence at the time, though Morton later admitted to the charges. In his vetting for the peerage, Lord Doyle did not disclose this association, according to sources.
Opposition Parties Condemn Prime Minister's Judgment
During Prime Minister's Questions, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir of knowing about Lord Doyle's ties to Morton when the peerage was granted, pointing out that The Sunday Times reported on the association in late December, yet Lord Doyle still took his seat in January. Badenoch asserted, "Despite the Prime Minister knowing this, he gave Doyle a job for life in the House of Lords anyway."
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn and Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey joined in the criticism, with Flynn accusing Sir Keir of following the same playbook used in the scandal involving former ambassador Lord Peter Mandelson, who also had ties to a sex offender. Davey stated, "To appoint one paedophile supporter cannot be excused as 'misfortune'. To appoint two shows a catastrophic lack of judgment."
Labour's Internal Turmoil and Broader Implications
The row adds to a difficult period for Sir Keir's premiership, which has seen:
- Two departures from Downing Street.
- A call from the Scottish Labour leader for his resignation.
- The ongoing scandal surrounding Lord Mandelson's appointment as UK ambassador to the US despite his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Labour chairwoman Anna Turley has called for Lord Doyle to not remain a peer, as the government considers legislation to strip Lord Mandelson of his peerage. In response, Sir Keir removed the whip from Lord Doyle, stating, "On Monday I promised my party and my country there will be change. And yesterday I removed the whip from Matthew Doyle."
Lord Doyle, in his apology, expressed unreserved regret for supporting Morton before the case concluded and noted he had extremely limited contact after the conviction. Labour had suspended Morton in late 2016 after his court appearance, and Lord Doyle campaigned for him as an Independent in May 2017.
