MPs behaving badly
Eight MPs have so far been suspended since the 2019 election
FIFTY MPs from across the Chamber have been suspended from the House of Commons for bad behaviour in the post-war era, breaking the ministerial code or showing contempt for Parliament. A House of Commons Library research briefing published this week shows that since 1949, a total of 60 suspensions have been handed to 50 MPs, including eight since the last election in 2019.
The Labour Party has seen the most suspensions, with 30, followed by the Conservatives with 14 and then the DUP (six).
More Tory MPs (five) have been suspended in the last three years under Boris Johnson’s Government than under any other post-war Prime Minister. By contrast during Margaret Thatcher’s 15 years in power, only one Conservative was suspended.
Meanwhile, half of the suspensions handed out to Labour MPs (15) were punishments for transgressions committed under Baroness Thatcher’s premiership, and another seven under Tony Blair.
The most recent MP facing suspension was Liam Byrne. The Labour MP for Birmingham, Hodge Hill was suspended for two days last month over allegations of bullying.
The only other MP to be suspended so far in 2022 was Shrewsbury and Atcham MP Daniel Kawczynski. The Tory MP was hit with a one day suspension for failing to comply with a sanction imposed for breaching Parliament’s bullying and harassment policy.
Former Labour MP Keith Vaz holds the record for the longest suspension. He was kicked out of Parliament for six months in 2002 for offering to buy drugs for sex workers and for failing to co-operate with an investigation.
But the late Tam Dalyell (Labour) holds the record for the highest number of suspensions. He was suspended four times between 1984 and 1988 for a combined total of 35 days for transgressions including twice calling then PM Baroness Thatcher “a liar”.
MPs can be suspended for misbehaviour in the Chamber, for either breaking the Code of Conduct for Members or showing contempt for parliament, or a suspension can be recommended by the Independent Expert Panel.
In all cases, the House has to agree a motion suspending a misbehaving MP.
The Speaker can also ask an MP to voluntarily leave the Chamber for the rest of the day for disorderly conduct. If the Member refuses they can be named in a standing order and then be ordered by the Speaker to leave. If the MP still won’t go, a motion can be made to suspend the offending Member.
The House of Commons research briefing shows that since 1992, two MPs have left the house voluntarily after being asked to by the Speaker, and 13 were ordered to leave.
The most recent was Ian Blackford, who withdrew voluntarily when asked in January, after he refused to withdraw an accusation that Prime Minister Boris Johnson had misled the House.
The last MP to be ordered to leave by the Speaker was Dawn Butler (Labour) who accused Mr Johnson of lying in July 2021.
Before that, an MP hadn’t been ordered or asked to leave the Chamber in three years, since 2018, when Labour MP Lloyd RussellMoyle was told to go after grabbing the ceremonial mace in the House of Commons. He later described it as a “symbolic stunt”, claiming his actions had a “historical precedent” among MPs who believe “the Parliament is a rotten Parliament or no longer governing”.