Keir Starmer says ex-spin physician linked to intercourse offender did not give ‘full account of actions’

Keir Starmer has claimed his ex-spin doctor failed to give a “full account of his actions” when he was given a peerage – despite links to a paedophile councillor.

It came as the Prime Minister faced repeated questions at PMQs over his decision to hand a peerage to the former No10 communications director, Matthew Doyle.

Lord Doyle apologised on Tuesday after having the Labour whip removed over his links to Sean Morton, who he campaigned for in May 2017 after he had been charged over indecent images of children. Morton later admitted having indecent images of children in November 2017.

During PMQs, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused Mr Starmer of knowing about his former spin doctor’s association with Moray councillor Morton when Lord Doyle took his seat in the upper chamber earlier this year.

But Mr Starmer replied: “Matthew Doyle did not give a full account of his actions. On Monday I promised my party and my country there will be change. And yesterday I removed the whip from Matthew Doyle.”

Ms Badenoch also attempted to link the incident to the scandal over Peter Mandelson’s friendship with billionaire paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, which has rocked the government.

The Tory chief said: “The Mandelson episode was not an isolated incident. A few weeks ago he announced a peerage for one Matthew Doyle, his former director of communications.

“Immediately after that, the Sunday Times published on the front page that Doyle campaigned for a man charged with child sex offences, yet despite the Prime Minister knowing this, he gave Doyle a job for life in the House of Lords anyway. Why?”

Lord Doyle, who campaigned for Morton when he ran as an Independent in May 2017, has apologised for his past association with Morton and admitted “extremely limited” contact with him after his conviction.

He said in a statement on Tuesday: “I want to apologise for my past association with Sean Morton. His offences were vile and I completely condemn the actions for which he was rightly convicted. My thoughts are with the victims and all those impacted by these crimes.”

“At the point of my campaigning support, Morton repeatedly asserted to all those who knew him his innocence, including initially in court. He later changed his plea in court to guilty. To have not ceased support ahead of a judicial conclusion was a clear error of judgment for which I apologise unreservedly.”

The peer, who will now sit as an independent, continued: “Those of us who took him at his word were clearly mistaken. I have never sought to dismiss or diminish the seriousness of the offences for which he was rightly convicted. They are clearly abhorrent and I have never questioned his conviction.

“Following his conviction any contact was extremely limited and I have not seen or spoken to him in years. Twice I was at events organised by other people, which he attended, and once I saw him to check on his welfare after concerns were raised through others.

“I acted to try to ensure the welfare of a troubled individual whilst fully condemning the crimes for which he has been convicted and being clear that my thoughts are with the victims of his crimes.

“I am sorry about the mistakes I have made. I will not be taking the Labour whip. For the avoidance of any doubt, let me conclude where I started. Morton’s crimes were vile and my only concerns are for his victims.”