Labour’s lord appointment sparks controversy in parliament
Kemi Badenoch has accused Sir Keir Starmer of filling parliament with “paedophile apologists” and prioritizing his career over victims’ concerns. This accusation came during a heated session of Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), where Badenoch criticized Starmer for promoting his former aide, Lord Matthew Doyle, to the House of Lords despite Doyle’s known friendship with a convicted offender. Reports BritPanorama.
Starmer defended his decision by stating that Doyle “did not give a full account of his actions” prior to being awarded a peerage. However, it has emerged that senior aides had been informed in advance about the continued association between Doyle and disgraced former Labour councillor Sean Morton, yet the peerage went ahead.
Badenoch expressed her frustration in parliament, asserting, “The Prime Minister sometimes likes to claim as he just did that he cares about violence against women. The truth is he only cares about violence against women when he’s trying to save his own skin.” She further criticized the Labour leader, stating, “Nobody buys it, not even the Labour women because they know he always puts the Downing Street boys club first.”
The appointment of Doyle also drew ire from Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, who condemned the decision, saying, “To appoint one paedophile supporter cannot be excused as misfortune. To appoint two shows a catastrophic lack of judgement.” Following the backlash, Doyle has since apologized for his past association with Morton, whose criminal history includes possessing explicit images of minors.
Doyle, who campaigned for Morton in 2017, claimed he believed Morton to be innocent at the time and acknowledged his lapse in judgment, stating, “To have not ceased support ahead of a judicial conclusion was a clear error of judgment for which I apologise unreservedly.” Morton later admitted guilt, and Doyle was stripped of the Labour whip as the scandal unfolded.
The situation has raised significant questions regarding judgment and accountability within the Labour Party, highlighting the complexities of political associations in an increasingly scrutinized environment.
The unfolding scandal illustrates the tenuous balance of ethical considerations in political appointments, particularly in the wake of rising awareness regarding accountability for actions related to violence and abuse. As the political landscape continues to evolve, the Labour Party’s response will be closely watched.
