MP Refuses Place on "Packed" Committee on Commons Search

11.15.00am GMT Tue 9th Dec 2008

Berwick MP Sir Alan Beith, who was expected to be one of the senior MPs to serve on a Speaker's Committee to examine the recent police search of an MP's office, has made it clear that he is not prepared to do so now that the Government, by a majority of 4, has carried a motion preventing the Committee from doing anything at all until all possible police inquiries are over.

Sir Alan said:

"The Government motion, carried by only 4 votes, insists on a Government majority, has very narrow terms of reference, and packs the Committee with Government members, and all these limitations have changed the inquiry which the Speaker said was needed into an insulting waste of time. This is no way to deal with the safeguarding of our constituents' confidentiality and the defence of Parliamentary democracy."

Both the Liberal Democrat and the Conservative parties have now said they will take no part in the inquiry.