Sir Keir Starmer nominated a former adviser for a peerage despite knowing he had campaigned for a Labour councillor facing child sex abuse charges, it has been claimed.
Matthew Doyle, who served as the Prime Minister’s spin chief until March, is set to take a seat in the House of Lords early next year.
When he left the role, Sir Keir paid tribute to Mr Doyle, 50, for having ‘worked tirelessly by my side every day’ since summer 2021.
However, it has now been alleged that No10 backed the former top aide for a peerage despite having investigated his previous support for paedophile Sean Morton.
The former councillor from Moray, northeast Scotland, was charged with possessing and distributing indecent images of children in December 2016.
He was suspended from the Labour party when he appeared in court – and was convicted of crimes including the possession of several pictures of naked girls as young as ten in December 2017.
Regardless of the accusations, Mr Doyle campaigned for Morton when he ran as an independent candidate in May 2017, The Sunday Times has reported.
It is alleged that the ex-aide, who also worked as a spokesman for Sir Tony Blair, knocked on doors wearing a T-shirt with the slogan ‘Re-elect Sean Morton’ on it.
Matthew Doyle (pictured) who served as the Prime Minister’s spin chief until March is set to take a seat in the House of Lords early next year
Sean Morton (pictured) was charged with possessing and distributing indecent images of children in December 2016
According to the newspaper’s report, Mr Doyle also accompanied Morton to the election count – where the councillor came fifth and lost his seat.
Then in August 2017, the pair posed for a photograph outside a cafe in Glasgow, with the image uploaded onto social media.
It is understood that Downing Street was aware of the connection between the two men and launched an internal investigation.
However, No10 reportedly concluded that the past acquaintance did not constitute a barrier to Mr Doyle obtaining a seat in the House of Lords.
No further details of the investigation have been disclosed.
A spokesperson for Downing Street said: ‘Questions regarding Matthew Doyle’s past acquaintance with Sean Morton were thoroughly investigated, including through several interviews with Matthew Doyle, prior to his appointment [to the Lords].’
Mr Doyle told the Sunday Times he ‘regrets’ supporting Morton and that he was ‘maintaining his innocence [of the charges] at the time’.
He added: ‘Sean Morton was someone I knew for a period through other shared acquaintances.
‘I have not seen him for years.’
Prime Minister Keir Starmer (pictured) departs Downing Street for PMQs on December 17
When he left the role, Sir Keir paid tribute to Mr Doyle, 50, (pictured) for having ‘worked tirelessly by my side every day’ since summer 2021
The latest accusations are likely to put more political pressure on Sir Keir who earlier this year came under fire for refusing to order a national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal before U-turning.
The Prime Minister told MPs when he was challenged on the subject that he would fight to defend victims of ‘child abuse or child sexual exploitation, as I have been doing for the best part of 15 years’.
It is unclear exactly when Mr Doyle and Morton’s association dates from.
In 2016, the pair travelled to the United States together to join Hillary Clinton’s campaign for presidency.
The following year, Morton pleaded not guilty to possessing and distributing indecent photographs of children.
He initially claimed he did not know ‘what this is all based on’.
In November 2017, Morton admitted having indecent images of children and extreme pornography.
He claimed the images were sent to him ‘anonymously’ and copied to his phone when he backed it up from his iTunes.
Morton was placed on the sex offender’s register in February 2018 and was ordered to perform 140 hours of unpaid work but avoided a jail sentence.
Morton appears in court in 2018. He was placed on the sex offenders register and ordered to complete community service but was spared jail
Former aide Mr Doyle has throughout his career been heavily tied to the Blairite wing of the Labour party.
He quit his post as Sir Keir’s spin chief in March, after just nine months in No10.
He is understood to have left immediately after feeling he had stabilised the Government’s communications strategy after Labour’s rocky first few months in office.
As reported by The Guardian, Mr Doyle said in an email to his team it was ‘time to pass the baton on’.
He wrote: ‘When I started working for Keir four years ago, not many people thought we could win a general election and certainly not in the emphatic way we did.
‘That was down to the hard work and determination of so many people and of course Keir’s leadership.
‘I am incredibly proud of the part I have played in returning our party to government and the change we are already bringing to the country.’
Mr Doyle was the second senior staff member to leave No10 since Labour won power in July last year.
His departure followed the exit of Sue Gray as Sir Keir’s chief of staff in October 2024, which came after regular reports of tensions with other No10 aides.
Sir Keir said at the time: ‘Matthew brought his considerable experience to my team in summer 2021 and has worked tirelessly by my side every day since, playing a leading role in Labour’s historic election win.
‘On a personal level, it has been a real privilege to work with him. On behalf of the entire team, I wish him all the best in his next role.’
The Daily Mail has contacted the Labour Party and No10 for comment.
