UK Parliament / Open data

Recall of MPs Bill

Proceeding contribution from Lord Robathan (Conservative) in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 21 October 2014. It occurred during Debate on bills on Recall of MPs Bill.

My right hon. Friend may know that I have recalled myself and that I am not standing again at the next general election, but I am struggling after 22 years in this House to understand the point of this Bill. I have seen people who have done wrong and have gone—quite rightly. Of the people caught up in the expenses scandal, several, quite rightly, have gone to prison. Denis MacShane went to prison and Patrick Mercer resigned his seat—quite rightly. But I can only think of two people who might have been affected by this Bill, and unless we make the

powers retrospective to 2002, I do not see that it will affect the hon. Gentleman who sits on the Labour Benches whom I will not name because I have not mentioned it to him. Possibly, it might have affected one Member who was recently expelled from the Liberal Democrat party, but actually he has not committed a criminal offence as far as we know. So what exactly is the question that this Bill answers?

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
586 c770 
Session
2014-15
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
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