Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrats' whip in the Commons, yesterday gave a master-class in indicating that another honourable member is lying but avoiding the use of unparliamentary language:
Mr Speaker, you very kindly granted me an urgent question yesterday in relation to the breach of the pair involving my hon. Friend the Member for East Dunbartonshire (Jo Swinson) on Tuesday night. You might recall that I indicated during that urgent question that I had received an apology from the Government Chief Whip, which of course I accepted, but that I did not quite understand how things had come to pass in this way. I indicated also that I would pursue the matter with the Government Chief Whip. I have to tell you and the House that, subsequent to the urgent question, I met the Government Chief Whip and that he offered me a fuller explanation, which I have considered very carefully overnight. Regrettably, I have to say that I still do not understand how this highly regrettable state of affairs came to pass
Whether or not MPs adhere to the traditional standards of parliament may not be a subject brought up on the doorsteps (except maybe in the towns and villages of Dunbartonshire), but it is important for our democracy. With that consideration in mind, it is worrying that the government has put off further consideration of proxy voting for conditions such as maternity leave, and that when the subject does come back to the House in September, there is no guarantee that it will be on a substantive motion.
No comments:
Post a Comment