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.

A brief update, courtesy of the BBC report:

MPs have rallied round one of their number who said he was being “intimidated” and prevented from exercising his right to freedom of speech in the Commons by a firm of solicitors.

On 14 January 2010, they backed a request from Liberal Democrat John Hemming to refer the matter to Committee on Standards and Privileges, who will now investigate. A motion debated by MPs “called attention” to Mr Hemming’s complaint that Withers LLP had “committed a contempt of the House by seeking to intimidate a Member in his parliamentary conduct”.

Mr Hemming referred to an e-mail sent to him by Withers threatening legal action against him over allegations he made about a building development in his constituency. … Mr Hemming’s motion was backed by the government, as well as the Tory and Liberal Democrat front benches. MPs then referred the complaint to the committee without a vote.

Full report, together with a 10-minute video of the debate, can be found at the BBC Democracy Live site here.