The winds of change are blowing through the halls of Westminster as political parties prepare to cede control over investigations into alleged misconduct by MPs. In a significant shift, the parliamentary modernization committee is set to endorse proposals that would see complaints about bullying, harassment, and sexual impropriety referred to the Independent Complaints and Grievance System (ICGS) rather than being handled internally by the parties themselves.
This move comes in the wake of a series of scandals that have rocked both the Conservative and Labour parties in recent years, eroding public trust in the ability of politicians to police their own behavior. Proponents of reform argue that an independent, standardized system for dealing with allegations will boost confidence and ensure that justice is served.
Closing the Loopholes
Under the current patchwork of arrangements, MPs accused of misconduct face different processes and potential sanctions depending on their party affiliation. This has led to concerns about inconsistency and the perception that some wrongdoers are let off lightly thanks to cozy relationships with party higher-ups.
By contrast, the ICGS was established in 2019 as an independent body to investigate alleged misconduct on the parliamentary estate, in constituency offices, or while MPs are engaged in parliamentary work. It has a track record of thorough, impartial inquiries and the power to recommend serious penalties up to and including expulsion from the Commons.
Key Recommendations
The modernization committee, chaired by Commons Leader Lucy Powell, is said to be broadly supportive of the proposed changes. In a memo published last September, Powell identified joining up “all relevant actors, including the political parties” as a priority to ensure that “members and all those who access parliament feel safe and supported.”
She specifically highlighted a recommendation by Paul Kernaghan, who led a review of the ICGS, that “complaints made to political parties should be brought into the scope of the ICGS.” Kernaghan pulled no punches in his assessment, branding the internal party processes “redundant and undesirable” and noting a “striking lack of confidence” among those he consulted that they could deliver timely or appropriate outcomes.
An individual who seeks to make a complaint to a political party and whose allegations fall within the scope of the ICGS should be directed to the ICGS.
– Paul Kernaghan, ICGS reviewer
Centralizing HR
The GMB union, which represents many parliamentary staffers, has welcomed the planned reforms as a “hugely welcome step.” But it says more needs to be done, including the introduction of a centralized HR system so that researchers are no longer directly employed by individual MPs.
Whether an incident happens in parliament, a constituency office or a social venue, victims must have avenues to report and perpetrators must be held to account. Abuses of power are widespread in our working community and not limited to within Westminster’s walls.
– Jenny Symmons, GMB branch chair
The modernization committee received hundreds of submissions to its call for evidence on potential reforms, which closed on December 17. As well as the handling of misconduct allegations, the responses covered issues such as MPs’ working hours and rules around second jobs. The committee is expected to publish the evidence in mid-January ahead of making its final recommendations.
A Necessary Step
While the devil will be in the detail, there seems to be a growing consensus that the days of parties marking their own homework on MP behavior are numbered. With public trust in politics at rock bottom and a slew of misconduct cases still rumbling through the system, the case for independent oversight has never been stronger.
Handing the ICGS a beefed-up role in this area would send a powerful signal that Parliament is serious about cleaning up its act and ensuring that the high standards expected of elected representatives are upheld. It may not be a silver bullet, but it would represent a significant step in the right direction – and not a moment too soon for an institution battling a crisis of credibility.
As Westminster awaits the modernization committee’s final verdict, one thing is clear: change is coming to the way MP misconduct is investigated and punished. The only question is how far and fast the reforms will go – and whether they can start to rebuild the bond of trust between politicians and the public they are supposed to serve.
