The Prime Minister faced a brutal swipe from an SNP MP in the House of Commons
Sir Keir Starmer was branded the “most gullible former director of public prosecutions in history” during a fiery Prime Minister’s Questions clash. SNP MP Stephen Flynn made the jibe at the Prime Minister in a row over his former communications chief being given a peerage despite his ties to a paedophile councillor.
Lord Matthew Doyle had the Labour whip removed earlier this week over his links to Sean Morton, whom he campaigned for in 2017 after he had been charged over indecent images of children. Speaking in the Commons, Mr Flynn said: “If I’ve just listened to the Prime Minister correctly, he’s essentially rolled the same pitch in relation to Matthew Doyle as he did with Peter Mandelson – that they weren’t clear with him.
Sir Keir Starmer came under fire during PMQs (Image: BBC)
“He appears to be the most gullible former director of public prosecutions in history.
“But he has a slight problem because some of us do read the newspapers.
“Towards the end of last year having written to the House of Lords Appointments Commission “I received a response from the chair who advised that as part of their vetting they provide confidential advice to the Prime Minister on the propriety of a potential nominee. Will he release that advice?”
Sir Keir insisted he had “made my position clear” in response to the SNP politician.
Earlier during PMQs, the Prime Minister insisted his former head of communications did not give a “full account” of his actions.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said it showed the issue with Peter Mandelson, who had a friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, was not an “isolated” incident.
Stephen Flynn branded the PM the ‘most gullible former Director of Public Prosecutions in history’ (Image: BBC)
Mrs Badenoch said: “The Mandelson episode was not an isolated incident. A few weeks ago he announced a peerage for one Matthew Doyle, his former director of communications.
“Immediately after that, The Sunday Times published on the front page that Doyle campaigned for a man charged with child sex offences, yet despite the Prime Minister knowing this, he gave Doyle a job for life in the House of Lords anyway. Why?”
Sir Keir replied: “Matthew Doyle did not give a full account of his actions. I promised my party and my country there will be change, and yesterday I removed the whip from Matthew Doyle.
“I’ll tell you what other actions we’ve taken, Mr Speaker. Along with the safeguarding minister, I and this Government have introduced the most far-reaching violence against women and girls strategy – and I’ll tell you what else we’ve done. This Government has introduced a pay rise for millions of working class women. What did the Leader of the Opposition do? She opposed it.
“This Government is introducing greater protection for women at work. What did the Leader of the Opposition do? She opposed it, and I’ll tell you what else she opposes, this Government removing the disgusting rape clause that they put in place.”
