Starmer ‘knew ex-comms chief Lord Doyle supported paedophile councillor’ | EUROtoday

Sir Keir Starmer nominated a former aide for a peerage regardless of being informed he had “been supportive” of a councillor who had been accused of kid intercourse offences, his ex-communications chief has claimed.

The prime minister is dealing with continued questions over his judgement over his resolution to nominate his former spin physician Matthew Doyle to the House of Lords after he campaigned for a councillor who had been charged with having indecent photos of youngsters.

The prime minister mentioned on Wednesday that Lord Doyle, who has now apologised and had the Labour whip eliminated, had failed to provide a “full account of his actions” when he was granted a peerage, and had not disclosed he had campaigned for the Sean Morton in 2017.

However, Tim Allan, who stop because the communications chief in No 10 this week, mentioned that Lord Doyle had confirmed he believed Morton earlier than his conviction and had been “supportive” throughout that point.

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Mr Allan mentioned he had been requested to talk with the peer whereas in Downing Street by Sir Keir’s former chief of workers Morgan McSweeney about Lord Doyle’s relationship with Morton.

“I accurately relayed what Doyle had told me to the PM,” Mr Allan mentioned in a press release issued to the Press Association.

“The PM is right to state that Doyle did not tell me about his campaigning in a council election for Morton.

“Doyle did however tell me that he had believed Morton’s protestations of innocence prior to his conviction and had been supportive of him during that time.”

Sir Keir has been dealing with calls to stop amid the fallout from the Peter Mandelson and Lord Doyle scandal, having been accused of a “catastrophic lack of judgement” over each appointments.

During Prime Minister’s Questions, Tory chief Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir of understanding about his former spin physician’s affiliation with Moray councillor Morton when Lord Doyle took his seat within the higher chamber.

The Labour chief 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.”

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Lord Doyle’s continued relationship with the Moray councillor after he was charged was first reported by The Sunday Times final December, after his peerage was introduced however earlier than he took his seat within the higher chamber in January.

No 10 insisted there was no precedent for halting a peerage after it has been introduced, however a House of Lords spokesperson mentioned: “We cannot comment on specific confidential advice given by Parliamentary Officials. However our understanding is that under the Life Peerages Act 1958 a peerage is created when the letters patent are sealed.”

Downing Street has declined to decide to stripping the previous aide of the honour, arguing this might prejudice a Labour investigation into the appointment.

As he makes an attempt to maneuver on from hypothesis about his future in Downing Street, the prime minister is predicted to proceed efforts to shake up his No 10 operation, with the nation’s prime civil servant Sir Chris Wormald believed to be on his approach out imminently.

Rumours have swirled in Westminster that Sir Keir intends to switch Sir Chris with Dame Antonia Romeo, a civil servant who additionally labored on the Foreign Office throughout Lord McDonald’s tenure.