Bradley rapped over trips to city without telling MP
IT’S AN ‘INCREDIBLY SERIOUS MATTER’
BEN Bradley insists he has been acting in “good faith” after a Nottingham MP complained he had visited her constituency on official business multiple times without telling her.
In what has been described as an “incredibly serious matter”, Mr Bradley has reportedly visited the Nottingham South constituency at least four times since the start of February without telling its Labour MP, Lilian Greenwood.
Parliamentary rules say that when an MP intends to visit another MP’S constituency, other than in a private capacity, they should make “every reasonable effort” to tell that MP before doing so.
Mr Bradley, who is both the Conservative MP for Mansfield and Nottinghamshire County Council’s leader, says he has contacted the Speaker of the House of Commons to clarify the rules.
He says he did not think he had to tell the MP about an upcoming visit if he was not visiting in his capacity as Mansfield MP.
The county council leader said: “I’m following the rules as I understood them. Mine is obviously a unique position in that I’m the only member of parliament who has another public role over a wider area, so my county council role obviously covers multiple constituencies and occasionally leads me to venture into the city as well.
“I always inform colleagues when I visit their constituencies for parliamentary reasons and duties related to my role as an MP. My understanding of the protocol is that where visits are in another capacity... I don’t need to inform people of those and that’s the basis I’ve been working on.”
The issue was brought to light
after Mr Bradley publicised a visit outside Nottingham Council House on March 4, where he was meeting with the Nottingham Independents group so that they could officially endorse his campaign to be the first East Midlands Mayor.
He says that he will give up his two current jobs if he becomes mayor after the May 2 election.
Asking the House of Commons Deputy Speaker about the situation on March 7, Mrs Greenwood said: “We all make genuine mistakes. However, when I looked at [Ben Bradley’s] social media feed, I became aware that this is the fourth public visit that he has undertaken in my constituency since the beginning of February, none of which he notified me of.
“I appreciate that he already has two jobs and is seeking a third, but I would be grateful for your advice on how he might be prevailed upon to follow the rules of behaviour and courtesies that apply to us in our jobs as members of this house.”
Deputy speaker Rosie Winterton replied: “This is an incredibly serious matter... I have had similar experiences, and I know how annoying it is. It is also something that all parts of the house need to observe... I emphasise – everyone has to stick to that, particularly this year, because things can get very fraught and difficult.”
Mr Bradley said: “I have been acting in good faith on the rules as I understand them. I’m not aware that I’ve visited her constituency in any parliamentary capacity at any point.”