Cllr Alan Dean

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Stansted North on Uttlesford District Council and former Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group Learn more

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Reply from Mrs Kemi Badenoch MP re Standards of Behaviour by MPs

by Alan Dean on 13 November, 2021

Last weekend I wrote to the MP for Saffron Walden, Mrs Kemi Badenoch, about the controversy about MPs’ additional earnings and the Parliamentary Standards Committee. 

Yesterday our Member of Parliament sent me a reply. It can be read here:

 

From: Kemi Badenoch MP <Kemi.badenoch.mp@parliament.uk>
Fri 12/11/2021 15:19
 Dear Cllr Dean
 Thank you for contacting me about the House of Commons Committee on Standards. I know that many residents across the constituency have shared their views and concerns about the recent vote in the House of Commons. I want to be clear that I believe it is essential for everyone in Parliament to uphold the highest standards in public life. Clearly, there must be tough and robust checks on Members to ensure they adhere to these standards. Therefore, we must have an effective process to scrutinise members, and, if necessary, to discipline those who deviate from these principles. In this regard, the work of the Committee on Standards is vital. That said, there is a strong sense on both sides of the House that all Members of Parliament should have the right to appeal and a fair hearing. I welcome that the Government will be looking to work on a cross-party basis to achieve improvements in our system for future cases. Nonetheless, I know that there have been legitimate concerns about the handling of recent decisions. I appreciate that the way in which the Government approached the recent debate conflated these legitimate concerns with the response to an individual case. This was a mistake and I want to assure you that any improvements made to the standards process should not be based on a single case or applied retrospectively. My colleague, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, made a statement in the House on Monday 8 November detailing the Government’s position on this, and addressing concerns raised by people across the country. I would encourage you to read the statement in full, which can be found here: https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-11-08/debates/6E81CD0D-33C6-4796-B224-5D88EFAC8F07/CommitteeOnStandardsDecisionOfTheHouse With regards to the recent case brought to the House, as I am sure you will appreciate, it would be inappropriate for me to make a comment on individual cases under review by the Committee. Thank you again for taking the time to write in. Kind regards

Kemi BadenochMember of Parliament for Saffron Waldenkemi.badenoch.mp@parliament.uk | 0207 219 1943 | House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA
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