Laurence Fletcher

.@Steven_Swinford and @Geri_E_L_Scott are (as ever) on the money. No10 knew about Doyle's campaigning for paedophile Morton several weeks before proceeding with his peerage. This is because we put it on the front page of the Sunday Times. Yet Downing St also independently "investigated" their relationship some time prior to our first story - at which point Doyle's nomination had cleared vetting and was awaiting final confirmation. This exercise took place because PM's new co-chief of staff, Jill Cuthbertson, and her predecessor, Morgan McSweeney, were approached by figures in the party. These people raised concerns about Doyle's conduct. However, who conducted the resulting inquiry, on what basis, and per what terms of reference, has never been specified. Cabinet Office say they hold no info on it, so we can presume it was led by the political (that is, non-civil service) team or even the party (?). In December, No10 told me that the process entailed several rounds of interviews. Now, though, they say these conversations did not yield the central fact Doyle went further than maintaining contact with Morton post-charge and indeed post-conviction - but actively campaigned for himwpost-charge (wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with the slogan "Re-elect Sean Morton). So the questions remain: - who conducted the inquiry - what did they ask - what conclusions did it draw - what was the PM told - if Doyle did not divulge the fact of the campaigning, were No10 or the House of Lords Appointments Commission (HOLAC) given the full information needed to conduct the necessary due diligence? I have been asking No10 but some weeks to no avail.