Sir Keir Starmer is facing intense internal and external criticism after the Labour whip was withdrawn from Lord Matthew Doyle, a peer he nominated for a peerage before Christmas and who entered the Lords in January. The action was taken over Lord Doyle’s links to Sean Morton, a man convicted over indecent images of children, as detailed by The Independent.
Harriet Harman, a senior Labour figure, has called on the Prime Minister to address the fallout by appointing a woman to the vacant post of first secretary of state, a role once held by Peter Mandelson. She stated the position must be held by a woman and used to “transform the political culture in government around women and girls”. This demand follows accusations from furious female Labour MPs of a “boys’ club” culture in Number 10, exacerbated by the Mandelson and Doyle scandals.
Sir Keir defended his timing on the Doyle matter during Prime Minister’s Questions, telling MPs he acted only on Tuesday because Lord Doyle “did not give a full account of his actions” when nominated. Critics pointed out that Doyle’s campaigning for Morton after he had been charged was publicly known before his peerage was conferred. At a subsequent meeting of the Women’s Parliamentary Labour Party, Sir Keir apologised again over the appointment of Lord Mandelson and admitted the government must do more to eradicate structural misogyny.
Female Labour MPs expressed distress over the events. One told The Independent they were “distressed” as “we really care about our party and believe it is a vehicle for ending misogyny and abuse.” Kim Johnson, MP for Liverpool Riverside, said: “The Doyle revelations only confirm he’s not fit to govern. He’s only been in the Lords a matter of weeks, yet it was already known that he was a friend of – and campaigned for – a convicted paedophile. Another example of very poor judgment.” Another female MP said she was “very angry”, adding the leadership knew about the issues when hiring Mandelson and elevating Doyle, questioning their judgement.
The Prime Minister faced questions over Lord Doyle at a wider parliamentary Labour party meeting on Monday night, but the whip was withdrawn 24 hours later. This delay raised fresh questions over Sir Keir’s judgement, with observers noting echoes of the Peter Mandelson scandal, which has already cost him his chief of staff and brought his premiership to the brink of collapse.
Opposition leaders attacked Sir Keir in the Commons. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused him of running a “boys’ club” and “stuffing government with hypocrites and paedophile apologists”, claiming he only cares about victims “when he’s trying to save his own skin”. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: “To appoint one paedophile supporter cannot be excused as ‘misfortune’. To appoint two shows a catastrophic lack of judgment.” SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn added Sir Keir “appears to be the most gullible former director of public prosecutions in history”.
Sir Keir hit back, stating he would take “no lectures from the Tories” on standards, citing partygate and former shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick’s comments about “not seeing enough white faces in Birmingham”. Ms Badenoch retorted: “How dare he criticise us. We weren’t the ones stuffing government with hypocrites and paedophile apologists.” Sir Keir replied: “My legacy is changing my party and winning a general election.”
Downing Street rejected suggestions it operates as a “boys’ club”, and the Prime Minister’s spokesperson said he does not accept he has failed to fulfil his promise to end sleaze. Sir Keir has insisted his top team is “strong and united” after Cabinet ministers rallied around him with public messages of support, following Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar’s call for him to quit.
