Labour Suspends Starir Starmer's Former Communications Chief Over Links to Convicted Paedophile
Lord Matthew Doyle, who served as Sir Keir Starmer's communications chief, has been suspended from the Labour Party and has apologised for his past association with a convicted sex offender. The peer, who now sits in the House of Lords, has had the Labour whip withdrawn following revelations about his campaigning for Sean Morton, a former Labour councillor in Moray, Scotland.
Campaigning for a Convicted Offender
Morton was charged in December 2016 with possessing indecent images of children and later pleaded guilty to the offences in November 2017. Despite this, Lord Doyle campaigned for Morton when he ran as an Independent candidate in May 2017, after the initial charges but before the guilty plea. Doyle has now expressed regret for this association, describing it as a "clear error of judgment."
In a statement, Lord Doyle said: "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."
Apology and Withdrawal from Labour Whip
Doyle admitted that his contact with Morton after the conviction was "extremely limited," consisting of only two chance encounters at events and one welfare check. He emphasised that he has not seen or spoken to Morton in years and has never questioned the conviction. The peer has decided not to take the Labour whip and will sit as an independent in the House of Lords.
"To have not ceased support ahead of a judicial conclusion was a clear error of judgment for which I apologise unreservedly," Doyle added. "I am sorry about the mistakes I have made. I will not be taking the Labour whip."
Background and Labour Response
Lord Doyle stood down from his role as Starmer's communications chief last year after just nine months, having previously worked for Tony Blair. He stated that he left after feeling he had stabilised Downing Street's communications strategy. A Labour Party spokesperson commented on the suspension, saying: "All complaints are assessed thoroughly in line with our rules and procedures."
The case highlights ongoing scrutiny of political figures' associations and the Labour Party's handling of disciplinary matters. Doyle's suspension comes amid broader changes in Starmer's top team, though this incident is unrelated to those shifts.
