← Back to House of Commons Debates
Committee on Standards
16 November 2021
Lead MP
Jacob Rees-Mogg
Debate Type
General Debate
Tags
Parliamentary ProcedureStandards & Ethics
Other Contributors: 12
At a Glance
Jacob Rees-Mogg raised concerns about committee on standards in the House of Commons. Other MPs contributed to the debate.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
The Leader of the House moved a motion rescinding the previous resolution from November 3, 2021. He acknowledged that paid lobbying is unethical and members found guilty should face penalties. The Government supports an additional right to appeal in the standards system but regretted conflating individual cases with broader concerns without cross-party support. He committed to working constructively on this issue.
Stephen Timms
Lab
East Ham
Mr Timms questioned whether the previous debate was a failure of moral leadership, expressing serious doubts about the character of the Government.
Christchurch
Mr Chope inquired about Mr Rees-Mogg's current view on issues such as the examination of witnesses, interpretation of rules relating to whistleblowing, and application of aggravating factors from a previous case.
Tan Dhesi
Lab
Slough
Mr Dhesi requested to speak but no further details were provided in the given text.
Bristol West
The Leader of the House's actions have damaged the reputation of Parliament and the standards process. He conflated a live case with changes to the standards process, leading to chaos in the Chamber. The motion should be unamended as it was intended originally.
Theresa May
Con
South West Norfolk
Passing this motion will help repair damage done by the vote on 3 November but will not undo all of it. It is essential to uphold rules and standards set for Members of Parliament, including those concerning paid advocacy. The Government should urgently review proposals from the Committee on Standards in Public Life to clarify and tighten up rules on MPs' outside interests.
Pete Wishart
SNP
Perth and Kinross-shire
The debate centres around the Government's handling of Tory sleaze, particularly regarding Owen Paterson and the Committee they attempted to whip through. Mr Wishart criticises the Leader of the House for failing to show contrition or apologise properly, noting that public trust in the Government is at an all-time low due to these events. He also highlights that companies are now avoiding engaging with Tory MPs because of the scandal and that the Tories have lost their lead in opinion polls. Mr Wishart further criticises the Leader of the House for supporting Owen Paterson's actions despite evidence of rule-breaking, calling it a mess resulting from arrogance and entitlement. He argues that the Government should rescind their previous actions and apologise properly to regain legitimacy and trust.
Wendy Chamberlain
Lib Dem
North East Fife
Critiqued the Government for their handling of the situation, arguing that it has become a farce. She supported rescinding the motion but noted that this alone does not solve broader issues of independence and due process in standards proceedings.
Christchurch
Emphasised the importance of debating the rescission of a previously passed House motion, highlighting it as a major constitutional decision. He argued that the Government's actions on 4 November were inappropriate and undermined natural justice principles.
Jess Phillips
Lab
Birmingham Yardley
Defended the hon. Member for Christchurch's position, critiqued his tone towards a female colleague as unacceptable, pointed out that Owen Paterson was entitled to defend himself and had access to legal representation throughout the process, argued against claims of injustice, and expressed sympathy with arguments about appeals but disagreed on how they should be handled.
Mark Harper
Con
Forest of Dean
Clarified that the Committee gave Owen Paterson the opportunity to present evidence from his witnesses, which was included in the report. Emphasised that the personal tragedy affecting Paterson was considered as a mitigating factor during deliberations.
Karl Turner
Lab
Kingston upon Hull East
Critiqued the current Prime Minister for causing chaos and suggested that it would not have occurred under the previous Prime Minister, implying responsibility lies with her leadership.
Chris Bryant
Lab
Rhondda and Ogmore
Mr Bryant emphasised that the Government's handling of the matter had been shameful, bringing the House into disrepute. He mentioned ongoing discussions about tightening appeal processes but warned against moving to an adversarial system which could be disproportionately costly and unfair for poorer MPs.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About House of Commons Debates
House of Commons debates take place in the main chamber of the House of Commons. These debates cover a wide range of topics including government policy, legislation, and current affairs. MPs from all parties can participate, question ministers, and hold the government accountable for its decisions.