‘Committee should have independence’

A committee which blocked an investigation into allegations that Commons Speaker John Bercow bullied members of staff should have greater independence, a former women’s minister has said.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson recommended giving votes to lay members of the Commons Standards Committee after it voted three-two against allowing Parliament’s watchdog to investigate the claims.

Mr Bercow has denied alle- gations that he bullied former private secretaries Angus Sinclair and Kate Emms.

Ms Swinson called for greater independence within the complaints system, and said confidence in it had been lacking. The East Dunbartonshire MP said: “I think there is a strong case for having greater independence within that system, and I appreciate the challenges that there are of that within the House. That’s an argument that still needs to be won, bluntly.”

Asked about MPS’ refusal to give permission to Parliament’s standards watchdog to investigate the allegations against Mr Bercow, Ms Swinson said: “There are lay members on that committee but they are not voting members and I think that that’s one potential solution to that, to give that proper independence and I think personally that that would be a good thing to happen because I think independence is important.”

Ms Swinson, who is a member of the cross-party working group on an Independent Complaints and Grievance Policy, said investigations should be able to look at past complaints.