Barclay about to get into House work

Disgraced Clutha-Southland MP Todd Barclay is returning to Parliament after a three-week hiatus.

Prime Minister Bill English confirmed yesterday that Barclay was on his way to Wellington and was expected back in Parliament today.

As to how long he will stay in Wellington and what meetings he will or will not attend is anyone’s guess.

English said he could not comment on whether Barclay would be in Wellington for the entire fourweek sitting period ahead or whether he would attend his select committee meetings, of which he is deputy chairperson of both.

English also would not comment on whether he had made any further statements to police in light of them reopening their investigation into Barclay’s alleged secret recording of a staff member.

Barclay resurfaced for the first time last Tuesday when he posted on his Facebook page that he was still working on constituent issues, along with a photo of him holding what appeared to be a child’s letter of support.

Up until last week, Barclay had barely been seen since his resignation on June 21, apart from a sighting at the Pig and Whistle pub in Queenstown earlier in the month.

Questions have been raised about what Barclay has been doing in his electorate while he con- tinues to sit on a $170,000 parliamentary salary until the election in September.

Last week, the Independent Police Conduct Authority said it would not pursue a complaint that alleged there was misconduct or neglect by police in handling the investigation into his secret recording of electorate staffer Glenys Dickson.

After initially not investigating the incident, police announced in June they would reopen the investigation.