Move by MPs would fatally undermine the independence of Parliamentary complaints procedure

A group of Conservative MPs have tabled an amendment to a motion today which would fundamentally change the way complaints are handled in Parliament.

MP Owen Paterson has been reprimanded by the Standards Committee for breaching lobbying rule and there is a vote in parliament today on whether to uphold a recommendation of a 30 day ban.

An amendment, tabled by friends of Mr Paterson, seeks to appoint a panel of MPs to reform the way the standards process operates. If successful this would remove the only recently established independence of the process. This is the same process that Staff have access to if they are bullied or harassed by an MP – removing its independence would fatally undermine confidence in the system, leaving staff out in the cold.

Garry Graham, deputy general secretary of Prospect, said:

“The Commissioner for Standards is the key guarantor of independence for staff ensuring that MPs who breach financial or behavioural standards are properly censured.

“This isn’t just about lobbying, it is about serious cases of bullying, sexual harassment, and abuse of staff.

“Progress has been made in recent years, especially with the establishment of the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme, but in a misguided attempt to overturn a clear finding against a colleague, some Conservative MPs are in danger of fatally undermining everything the ICGS was put in place to do and shattering the fragile trust that staff have in the system.

“If MPs are allowed to sit as judge and jury to themselves we risk returning to the bad old days where Parliamentary staff suffer in silence as unaccountable MPs bully their way around Westminster with little fear of comeback.

“Staff need immediate assurances that the principle of independence enshrined in the ICGS will not simply be tossed aside. Parliamentary staff who have been bullied, sworn at or sexually harassed by MPs must not be collateral damage in this latest attempt by some MPs to erode the standards of public life they are elected to observe and uphold.”