Shelagh Fogarty 1pm - 4pm
"The Whips Have Conflicting Interests" Former MP Hammers Westminster Complaints Process
31 October 2017, 15:20 | Updated: 31 October 2017, 15:24
A former member of parliament has said that Westminster's current process for handling complaints about MPs is not fit for purpose.
A former MP has hammered the Westminster complaints process, saying a "conflict of interests" prevent party whips from reporting inappropriate behaviour.
Nick de Bois told Shelagh Fogarty that current procedures were not acceptable and that an independent process was necessary for members of staff to be able to report MPs effectively.
He said: "The truth, the simple thing, is we have to establish a process that has confidence.
"A process that allows a member of staff who, remember if they work for an MP that MP answers to no one, to lodge a complaint in an independent process.
"At the moment they could just go to the Chief Whip.
"The Chief Whip has conflicting interests, shall we say. Should be looking after the member of staff's interests? The MP's interests? Or the party's interests?"
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