According to reports, Doyle, a former Downing Street communications director, admitted to being supportive of Morton because he “believed in his innocence” prior to the councillor’s conviction for possessing and distributing indecent images of children. Doyle’s connection to Morton only came to light after female Labour MPs and ministers raised concerns, prompting public debate over Starmer’s judgment.
Starmer defended his decision, stating, “Matthew Doyle did not give a full account of his actions. I promised my party and my country there will be change, and yesterday I removed the whip from Matthew Doyle.”
The controversy intensified when Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Starmer in Parliament of appointing “paedophile apologists” to senior positions. Questions were also raised about whether No 10 could have delayed or blocked Doyle’s peerage before the letters patent were sealed on 8 January 2026.
The timeline of events reveals that Starmer was first informed of Doyle’s relationship with Morton in early December 2025, shortly before announcing Doyle’s elevation to the House of Lords on 10 December 2025. Doyle had campaigned for Morton as an independent councillor in 2017, even after Morton was charged with sex offences, though he claimed his contact with Morton after the charges was limited.
The peerage sparked immediate backlash from Labour MPs, particularly women in the party, who are calling for cultural reform at No 10. Senior Labour figures, including Harriet Harman and Lisa Nandy, have urged Starmer to introduce women into senior roles and revive positions such as the first secretary of state to tackle the perceived misogyny in government briefings and decision-making.
Labour chair Anna Turley has described Doyle’s actions as misleading during the vetting process, calling for him to be stripped of his peerage. Deputy leader Lucy Powell also expressed the view that Doyle should not remain in the Lords.
Doyle has since issued an apology, stating he was “extremely limited” in his contact with Morton after the conviction and condemning Morton’s offences as “vile,” while offering his condolences to the victims.
The controversy comes amid wider scrutiny over Labour’s internal culture and the party’s handling of issues relating to safeguarding, women’s representation, and accountability in senior appointments.
