Starmer and Reeves supported paedophile Labour councillor who sent naked pics to girl, 13
The councillor believed he was speaking to a 13-year-old girl when he asked to see her in school uniform and whether she was “home alone”.
Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves previously campaigned alongside a paedophile Labour councillor (Image: Getty)
Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves previously campaigned alongside a Labour councillor who has now admitted child sex offences. However, both had no knowledge of his criminal behaviour at the time. Liron Velleman, 30, pleaded guilty this week to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child to watch sexual content.
Velleman believed he was speaking to a 13-year-old girl when he asked to see her in school uniform, whether she was “home alone”, and requested images of her in underwear. He also sent a sexual video. In reality, he was communicating with a police officer running an online sting operation. The offences took place in December 2024.
Liron Velleman pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child (Image: PA)
Velleman was elected as a councillor in Barnet, north London, in 2022. Before that election, he was supported by several senior Labour figures while they were still in opposition.
None of the ministers, including Sir Keir and Chancellor Reeves, were aware of his future criminal conduct when they campaigned with him.
A past social media post showed Sir Keir campaigning with him in 2018 when he was standing for election in another ward.
In that message, Sir Keir told Velleman it was “great to campaign with you – you deserve to win. Good luck!” The post has since been deleted.
Photographs from 2022 show four Cabinet ministers, who at the time were shadow ministers or MPs, campaigning for Velleman as he sought election in Barnet, The Daily Mail reports.
Liron Velleman and Rachel Reeves pictured in the same photo (Image: Social media)
Among those pictured were Rachel Reeves, who described him as “brilliant” at a Labour Friends of Israel event that November.
Shabana Mahmood also shared a picture of herself campaigning for him, saying it had been “brilliant to be out campaigning in Whetstone ward in Barnet yesterday”.
Others who campaigned for him that year while serving in opposition roles included the future Home Secretary, Health Secretary Wes Streeting, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, courts minister Sarah Sackman KC, victims minister Alex Davies-Jones, employment minister Diana Johnson and schools standards minister Georgia Gould.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan also appeared with him at past events.
Labour stressed that none of those figures knew anything about Velleman’s offending at the time and said the crime he has now admitted was impossible for anyone to foresee.
A party spokesperson said the offence was “sickening” and added that “nobody could be aware of his future conduct”.
It is understood that Velleman was suspended from the party as soon as Labour was informed of his arrest.
Velleman had previously worked for anti-racism organisation Hope Not Hate and was involved in advising on the Online Safety Bill.
He resigned as a councillor in April last year without publicly giving a reason.
The case has drawn plenty of criticism. Conservative MP Jack Rankin said: “Starmer pledged to tackle violence against women and girls, yet sex offenders threaten to be the defining issue of his premiership.”
Velleman entered guilty pleas at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court and will be sentenced at a later date.
Prosecutors argued the seriousness of the offences meant the case should be sent to the Crown Court for sentencing.
His conviction comes during a difficult week for the Prime Minister, who is already facing pressure over his decision to award a peerage to former communications chief Matthew Doyle despite knowing Doyle remained friends with another Labour councillor charged with child sex offences.
The Express has reached out to the Labour Party for a comment.
