Lib Dem Amendment Put to Vote to End Sleaze in Parliament

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The Liberal Democrats have today led a cross-party Parliamentary effort to finally end the practice by which MPs are allowed to vote on motions regarding their own misconduct. 

The Lib Dem Chief Whip Wendy Chamberlain is today putting an amendment to a vote on the Government’s motion on standards, which the Government has tabled to implement recommendations from the Standards Committee, later this afternoon. 

This practice was notoriously brought to attention by the Owen Paterson scandal, when he voted against his own suspension from the House of Commons in 2021 - a saga which ultimately resulted in a Liberal Democrat victory in the North Shropshire by-election. 

The amendments, which have support from Conservatives (David Mundell, Alicia Kearns), Labour (Kim Leadbeater, Cat Smith) and the Green Party (Caroline Lucas), would prohibit members from voting on anything concerning their own conduct. 

Liberal Democrat Spokesperson, Wendy Chamberlain MP, said: 

“Voting through this amendment is a no-brainer for any MP who wants to stop the flow of sleaze stories coming from our Parliament. Mending our broken politics must be a priority for this Government. 

“It’s obviously not right that MPs who have been found to have broken conduct rules get to vote on whether or not they are punished. The defendant shouldn’t also be a member of the jury. 

“There needs to be a line in the sand to stop any MP from effectively marking their own homework.”

ENDS

Notes to Editor

1. Amendment (a) to Standing Orders etc. (Committee on Standards, Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Independent Expert Panel) tabled by Wendy Chamberlain MP
   
   At the end of paragraph (1) relating to Standing Order No 149, insert: “; and no Member shall be eligible to participate in any division on such a motion where it relates to their own conduct.”
    

2. Amendment (b) to Standing Orders etc. (Committee on Standards, Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Independent Expert Panel) tabled by Wendy Chamberlain MP
   
   At the end of paragraph (4) relating to Standing Order 150B, insert new paragraph:
   
   “(4A) Standing Order No. 150D (Motions consequent on the ICGS) be amended as follows:
   
   At end, add “(5) No Member shall be eligible to participate in any division on such a motion where it relates to their own conduct.”
    

3. Text of Full Motion as tabled by the Government 
   
   That—
   
   (1) this House notes the First Report from the Committee on Standards, on New Code of Conduct and Guide to the Rules: promoting appropriate values, attitudes and behaviours in Parliament (HC 227), and approves the recommendations relating to appeals and the Procedural Protocol in paragraphs 141–143, 151, 153, 155–157, 166 and 169 of that Report.
   
   (2) this House approves the Second Report from the Committee on Standards on the Code of Conduct: Procedural Protocol (HC 378), and the Procedural Protocol in respect of the Code of Conduct annexed to that Report, with immediate effect, subject to the following amendments to the Protocol:
   
   (a) In paragraph 6, leave out from “under the Code” to end;
   
   (b) In paragraph 7, leave out “and the rules relating to upholding the Code (the numbered paragraphs in the Code of Conduct)”;
   
   (c) In paragraph 16, leave out “, under rule 10 of the Code”;
   
   (d) In paragraph 18, leave out “rule 11” and insert “paragraph 17”;
   
   (e) In paragraph 22, leave out “rules 1 or 16 in the Code” and insert “paragraph 18 of the Code, or the provision in paragraph 21 of the Code that ‘Failure to comply with a sanction imposed by a subpanel of the Independent Expert Panel shall be treated as a breach of the Code’”;
   
   (f) Leave out paragraph 32 and insert, “Paragraph 20 of the Code provides that ‘The Commissioner may investigate a specific matter relating to a Member’s adherence to the rules of conduct under the Code. Members shall cooperate, at all stages, with any such investigation by or under the authority of the House, and with the Committee on Standards and the Independent Expert Panel in any subsequent consideration of a case. Members must not lobby members of the Committee on Standards or the Independent Expert Panel; the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards; or the staff of those bodies in a manner calculated or intended to influence their consideration of a breach or a sanction in an individual case.’”
   
   (g) Leave out paragraph 62;
   
   (h) In paragraph 83, leave out “rule 11” and insert “paragraph 17”;
   
   (i) In paragraph 118, after “legal or medical adviser”, insert “; and/or d) a Member’s own staff”.
   
   (j) Leave out paragraph 126 and insert, “Paragraph 20 of the Code provides that ‘The Commissioner may investigate a specific matter relating to a Member’s adherence to the rules of conduct under the Code. Members shall cooperate, at all stages, with any such investigation by or under the authority of the House, and with the Committee on Standards and the Independent Expert Panel in any subsequent consideration of a case. Members must not lobby members of the Committee on Standards or the Independent Expert Panel; the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards; or the staff of those bodies in a manner calculated or intended to influence their consideration of a breach or a sanction in an individual case.’”
   
   (3) Paragraph 20 of the Code of Conduct for Members (HC (2017-19) 1882) be amended to read as follows: “The Commissioner may investigate a specific matter relating to a Member’s adherence to the rules of conduct under the Code. Members shall cooperate, at all stages, with any such investigation by or under the authority of the House, and with the Committee on Standards and the Independent Expert Panel in any subsequent consideration of a case. Members must not lobby members of the Committee on Standards or the Independent Expert Panel; the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards; or the staff of those bodies in a manner calculated or intended to influence their consideration of a breach or a sanction in an individual case.”
   
   (4) the Committee on Standards shall have power to make any minor or purely administrative changes to the Procedural Protocol in respect of the Code of Conduct, including those necessary to reflect any future decisions of the House relating to the Code of Conduct and the Guide to the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members.
   
   (5) Chapter 4 of the Guide to the Rules relating to the Conduct of Members (HC (2017-19) 1882) shall no longer have effect.
   
   (6) previous Resolutions of this House in relation to the conduct of Members shall be read and given effect in a way which is compatible with the Procedural Protocol in respect of the Code of Conduct.