The BBC reports:
Commons Speaker John Bercow has granted MPs an emergency debate after one Member claimed he had been “intimidated” by a firm of solicitors.
Liberal Democrat John Hemming, who represents Birmingham Yardley, complained about an e-mail he had received from Withers LLP.
Mr Bercow said the MP believed it amounted to a “contempt of the House” and ordered a debate for Thursday. It was a matter “to which I should allow precedence”, he told the Commons.
Full story here.
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4 Comments
While I think parl privilidge is a good thing, it needs to be self regulating and very carefully and sparingly used. I do get the impression that john threatens to use it a little bit too regularly for my liking. I seem to remember he threatened to name individual social workers involved in a case in the house.
According to the BBC story, the offending email was “dated 4 August 2009”. How does this become a matter of an emergency debate in January? Has John Hemming just checked his last six months’ emails?
I am struggling with the concept of John being intimidated….. 🙂
Although like Anon I am wary of Parliamentary privilege being regarded as an ultimate trump card. It is an old and important value.
However the Trafigura incident (however badly handled) was about whether legally privileged documents should be kept confidential (whether they were legally privileged was a matter for a future hearing at the time). That is also a pretty old and important value.
What a pity that the Commons will not debate the issue of convicted prisoners and their human right to the vote, but is prepared to waste time on this minor issue.
One Trackback
[…] LDV reported on Wednesday that Lib Dem MP for birmingham Yardley John Hemming had been granted an emergency Commons motion to debate what he termed an “intimidating” email received from a firm of solicitors Withers LLP. […]