"The friend claimed he was innocent at the time, but subsequently pleaded guilty. Yesterday Doyle issued a lengthy statement apologising. Given that Doyle's peerage was announced in December, and that he took his seat in early January after the details of his friendship with Sean Morton had been made public Labour's decision to remove the whip yesterday looks like a move timed to minimise the dangers from this issue being raised at PMQs."
"In a post on social media last night, Kemi Badenoch said she would not let the matter drop. Keir Starmer handed a peerage to Matthew Doyle despite knowing about his ongoing friendship with a man charged with child sex crimes. The Prime Minister has now suspended the whip, but he must come clean about what he was told before making this appointment."
Labour removed the whip from newly appointed peer Matthew Doyle after revelations about his friendship with Sean Morton, who was charged with possessing indecent images of children and later pleaded guilty. Doyle had served as Keir Starmer's director of communications and campaigned for Morton. Doyle issued a lengthy apology. The whip suspension, coming after Doyle's peerage announcement in December and his taking a seat in early January, raised questions about why he was allowed into the Lords. Opposition figures vowed to seek answers, and senior Labour voices said Doyle should not be in the Lords. The day's agenda includes PMQs and Treasury events.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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