MPs must vote for exclusion upon arrest to protect Parliamentary workers

Parliament is due to finally debate and vote on proposals to exclude MPs from the Houses of Parliament when they are accused of sexual or violent behaviour.

Prospect has been calling for MPs accused of such behaviour to be excluded when they are arrested by the police. This would be in line with general employment practice and was the original threshold in the proposals.

The government however has watered down the proposals with the new threshold being charge, rather than arrest. There are tabled amendments to the proposals which would allow the threshold to be arrest.

Mike Clancy, General Secretary of Prospect, said:

“We have waited a long time for Parliament to make even a pretence at becoming a 21st century workplace in relation to MPs being accused of serious misbehaviour.

“Prospect has been campaigning for the threshold for exclusion to be arrest which we see as the best way to protect staff, and for staff to feel safe in their workplace.

“We urge MPs to vote to do just that, and not just go for the government’s watered-down version with exclusion only possible after charge.”