Sir Keir Starmer’s ex-communications chief should be stripped of his peerage over his ties to a paedophile councillor, Labour’s chairwoman has said.
Anna Turley MP told Sky News “there’s no place […] in the Lords” for people like Matthew Doyle, who she suggested hadn’t been truthful before being elevated to parliament’s upper chamber earlier this year.
Matthew Doyle. Pic: UK Parliament
Lord Doyle apologised and was suspended from Labour on Tuesday for his links to Sean Morton, who he campaigned for in 2017 after he had been charged over indecent images of children.
The peer said he had believed Morton’s initial assertions of innocence at the time, before he later pled guilty.
Downing Street 10 was not aware Lord Doyle had campaigned for Morton at the time of his appointment, it is understood, and Ms Turley said “what we’d been told was not the truth when that decision was made”.
Asked if he should remain a peer, she told Sky News: “No, I don’t think he should. That’s my personal view.”
“There’s no place for them in the Lords” for people who “have not been clear and transparent”, she added.
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The Tories want the PM to publish the vetting advice he received. Pic: Reuters
Lord Doyle has apologised “unreservedly” for supporting Morton, who was a councillor in Moray, Scotland.
He first appeared in court in connection with indecent child images in late 2016, and was suspended by Labour.
He was running as an independent when Lord Doyle campaigned for him in May 2017. He didn’t plead guilty until November that year.
Lord Doyle said he had “extremely limited” contact with him after his conviction, and described his offences as “vile”.
“My thoughts are with the victims and all those impacted by these crimes,” he added.
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.”
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Lord Doyle only took his place in the upper chamber last month. The SNP had opposed his peerage.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has called on the prime minister to publish “vetting advice and due diligence” reports provided before the peer’s appointment.
A Labour spokesman said Lord Doyle had lost the party whip while an investigation is carried out, and added: “All complaints are assessed thoroughly in line with our rules and procedures.”
