Keir Starmer’s ex-spin chief suspended by Labour after admitting he met with convicted paedophile

Sir Keir Starmer‘s former spin chief has been suspended by Labour following a row over his links to a convicted paedophile.

Matthew Doyle, the Prime Minister’s former communications director, took his seat in the House of Lords in January after quitting Downing Street in March last year.

But Sir Keir’s decision to put his former aide in Parliament’s upper chamber was opposed because of Lord Doyle’s ties to ex-Labour councillor Sean Morton, who admitted having indecent images of children in November 2017.

It has been revealed how Lord Doyle campaigned for Morton when he ran as an independent in May 2017, after he had been charged with child sex offences.

Labour had suspended Morton after he appeared in court in connection with indecent child images in late 2016.

In a statement on Tuesday, Lord Doyle apologised for his past association with Morton. He also admitted having ‘extremely limited’ with Morton after his conviction.

It is understood Labour has withdrawn the party’s whip from Lord Doyle while an investigation takes place.

A Labour spokesperson said: ‘All complaints are assessed thoroughly in line with our rules and procedures.’

Matthew Doyle, the Prime Minister’s former communications director, took his seat in the House of Lords in January after quitting Downing Street in March last year

Lord Doyle’s nomination to Parliament’s upper chamber was opposed because of his ties to ex-Labour councillor Sean Morton, who admitted having indecent images of children

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch last week wrote to Sir Keir calling on him to publish ‘vetting advice and due diligence’ received ahead of Mr Doyle being handed a peerage by the PM, as well as any documents covering his association with Morton. 

It came as Sir Keir reels from the scandal over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to the US, despite Lord Mandelson’s known ties to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

Mrs Badenoch claimed that there was a ‘pattern of behaviour’ of Sir Keir’s office overlooking vetting for men who have ‘associations with men who have a history of abusing children’.

She said she would use ‘parliamentary means to get to the truth’ if the PM refused to be transparent about his decision to put Mr Doyle in the Lords.

On Tuesday, Mrs Badenoch said: ‘Keir Starmer handed a peerage to Matthew Doyle despite knowing about his ongoing friendship with a man charged with child sex crimes.

‘The Prime Minister has now suspended the whip, but he must come clean about what he was told before making this appointment. We won’t let this go.’

It is understood that No10 was not aware Lord Doyle had campaigned for Morton at the time of his appointment, and the PM wanted the issue looked at again.

Downing Street previously said Lord Doyle’s links with Morton were ‘thoroughly investigated’ prior to him being appointed to the Lords, with ‘several interviews’ taking place with Lord Doyle himself.

In his statement, Lord Doyle said Morton’s ‘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,’ he continued.

‘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.

‘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.’