UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has defended his decision to award a peerage to his former communications chief, Lord Doyle, despite controversy over Lord Doyle's links to a convicted sex offender.
Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Sir Keir stated that Lord Doyle "did not give a full account" of his actions, and announced that he had removed Lord Doyle from Labour's parliamentary party.
Background
Lord Doyle had been appointed to the House of Lords on 12 January, after being nominated for a peerage in December. However, it was later reported by The Sunday Times that Lord Doyle had campaigned for Sean Morton, a former Labour councillor who was convicted of indecent child image offences in 2017.
Lord Doyle has since apologized for his past association with Morton, stating that he had been misled by Morton's claims of innocence.
Opposition Reaction
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch criticized Sir Keir's decision to award Lord Doyle a peerage, accusing him of "stuffing government with hypocrites and paedophile apologists".
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey also expressed concern, stating that Sir Keir had shown a "catastrophic lack of judgement" in appointing Lord Mandelson and Lord Doyle.
Government Response
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander defended the government's decision, stating that there is no established process for withdrawing a peerage nomination once it has been made.
The prime minister's official spokesman confirmed that the government is undertaking wider reform of both vetting and appointment processes.
