Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been labelled 'delusional' following a fierce confrontation in Parliament over his decision to grant a peerage to his communications chief, Matthew Doyle, despite Doyle's connections to a paedophile councillor. The controversy erupted during Prime Minister's Questions, where Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir of being embroiled in 'yet another scandal', drawing parallels to the recent Mandelson affair that nearly cost him his position.
Mounting Pressure Over Peerage Appointment
Badenoch hammered the premier for failing to take responsibility for the appointment of Lord Doyle, who campaigned for Sean Morton in 2017 after Morton had been charged with possessing indecent images of children. Sir Keir responded by stating that Doyle did not provide a full account of his actions and confirmed that the Labour whip had been removed from him. However, Badenoch insisted that the Prime Minister must publish all vetting advice and due diligence reports related to the peerage, asserting that this issue will not be allowed to fade away.
Timeline Questions and Internal Backlash
Fresh doubts have emerged regarding the timeline of events, with the Sunday Times reporting that Number 10 investigated the allegations before Doyle's peerage was formalised in the London Gazette on January 8. Labour Party chair Anna Turley has called for Lord Doyle to be expelled from the House of Lords, arguing that he was not truthful prior to his elevation. Turley emphasised that, similar to the Mandelson scandal, there is a need for mechanisms to remove individuals from the Lords who lack transparency, even if they have not committed criminal offences.
In a statement, Lord Doyle apologised unreservedly for his past association with Morton, condemning the vile offences and expressing sympathy for the victims. He admitted that continuing support before a judicial conclusion was a clear error in judgment and confirmed that contact with Morton after his conviction was extremely limited. Despite this, the Scottish National Party had previously objected to the peerage, and Labour has suspended the whip from Doyle pending an investigation.
Echoes of Previous Scandals
The situation has drawn comparisons to the Mandelson chaos, with allies of the Prime Minister blaming the vetting system for the oversight. Education minister Georgia Gould, when questioned about the matter, noted that the announcement was made on December 10, with the story breaking later in the month, but stressed that Sir Keir is committed to upholding the highest standards in public life. Nonetheless, critics like Ed Davey have described appointing two individuals linked to paedophiles as showing a catastrophic lack of judgement.
As the scandal unfolds, it raises significant concerns about the Prime Minister's decision-making and the integrity of the appointments process, potentially impacting public trust and political stability.
