Overview
- Matthew Doyle, Keir Starmer’s former No 10 communications chief, was nominated for a peerage earlier this month and is expected to take his seat early next year.
- A No 10 spokesperson said questions about Doyle’s links to Sean Morton were thoroughly investigated before the nomination, including several interviews with Doyle.
- The Sunday Times reported that Doyle campaigned for Morton’s re‑election in May 2017, wore a T‑shirt reading “Re‑elect Sean Morton,” and accompanied him to the count.
- Doyle said Morton was maintaining his innocence at the time and stated that he regrets supporting him and has not seen him for years.
- Morton was charged in December 2016, later admitted to possessing indecent images, received community penalties in 2018, and was placed on the sex offenders register, with the issue recently contributing to a Scottish Labour MSP’s decision not to seek re‑election.