Starmer gives former spin doctor peerage despite campaigning for councillor charged with child sex offences

Mr Doyle, 50, was nominated for a seat in Lords after Starmer said it was a "privilege" to have worked with him in Downing Street

The former head of communications left in March after nine months in the role.

It has been revealed that No 10 investigated Mr Doyle's continued support of Sean Morton - a former Labour councillor in Moray, northeast Scotland.

The councillor was charged with possessing and distributing indecent images of children in December 2016.

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Morton was immediately suspended by Labour after appearing in court.

He was later convicted in February 2018 of crimes including possession of several pictures of naked girls as young as ten.

Despite the charges, Mr Doyle campaigned for Morton when he sought re-election when he ran as an independent councillor in May 2017.

Mr Doyle even knocked on doors wearing a T-shirt reading "Re-elect Sean Morton".

Mr Doyle last night said in a statement: "I regret supporting him," and said Morton was 'maintaining his innocence' at the time of the re-election campaign in 2017.

The former aide reportedly accompanied Morton to the election count, where councillor for the Fochabers Lhanbryde ward came fifth and lost his seat.

When asked if he maintained contact with Morton after his conviction in December 2017, Mr Doyle repeatedly declined to respond, the Sunday Times reports.

Mr Doyle backed Morton’s campaign after the councillor had decided to run as an independent - vowing “not to go quietly into the night” despite the criminal charges.

Sheriff Chris Dickson told Morton: “These are serious charges. By viewing indecent images you are creating a demand for the abuse and suffering of the children depicted.”

In 2017, Morton pleaded not guilty to possessing and distributing indecent photographs of children.

He initially claimed he did not know “what this is all based on”.

In response, prosecutors disclosed further computer evidence which, according to court reports, contained four images of girls aged 10 to 15 and three images of men and women engaging in sexual activity with dogs.

Morton then admitted one charge of “taking or permitting to be taken” indecent photographs of children and another of possessing extreme pornographic material depicting adults engaging in sexual activity with animals, both of which had taken place in November 2013.

He was ordered to perform 140 hours of unpaid work and was placed on the sex offender's register in February 2018, but avoided jail.

He claimed, at the time, he had been sent the pictures anonymously and was going through a difficult period in his life following a breakup and had been drinking heavily.

He said: “It’s hard when you learn you made a simple mistake that years later has destroyed your life. Even harder still is taking responsibility knowing that your mistake makes you look like a monster.

"But however hard it may be, taking responsibility for your mistakes, as soon as you know you made them, is the right thing to do. I wasn’t vigilant online. I am tired and I am broken.”

The Sunday Times reports Downing Street was aware of the association between Mr Doyle and Morton and it was explicitly brought to the attention of Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s chief of staff, and Jill Cuthbertson, McSweeney’s deputy, leading to an internal inquiry.

A No 10 spokeswoman said: “Questions regarding Matthew Doyle’s past acquaintance with Sean Morton were thoroughly investigated, including through several interviews with Matthew Doyle, prior to his appointment [to the Lords].”

It is understood that after careful consideration, No 10 was satisfied that a past acquaintance did not represent a bar to Mr Doyle receiving a peerage.

Mr Doyle said: “Sean Morton was maintaining his innocence at this time. I regret supporting him. Sean Morton was someone I knew for a period through other shared acquaintances. I have not seen him for years.”

It is unclear when Mr Doyle first met Morton. But the pair travelled to the US together to campaign for Hillary Clinton in February 2016, when she was standing for President against Donald Trump.

The two men posed for a selfie with Clinton before the New Hampshire primary.

In May 2021, Mr Doyle joined Sir Keir's team as director of communications, staying in the role during the transition to No 10.

This comes after Scottish Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy announced she would not seek re-election to Holyrood earlier this month over her links to Morton.

Duncan-Glancy stood down as the party's education spokeswoman after admitting she made a "serious error of judgement" over her links to the paedophile.

She said: "While this has obviously been a very difficult decision - and it is the greatest honour of my life to represent Glasgow - I do not wish for a personal friendship to become a distraction.

"I am grateful to have had the opportunity to serve, and I remain committed to returning a Scottish Labour government next year."

The Daily Record newspaper said Duncan-Glancy had maintained contact with Morton following his conviction.

A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: "Pam Duncan-Glancy has withdrawn as a parliamentary candidate for the Glasgow Kelvin and Maryhill constituency.

"She has taken the decision to step aside as she does not wish recent stories to become a distraction from the work of the party or its priorities.

"The selection process will now be reopened so that a replacement candidate can be chosen."