Sayeed facing indefinite suspension from the Commons
Conservative MP Jonathan Sayeed is facing indefinite suspension from the House of Commons unless he issues a full apology by early April.
It follows the publication of a second report from the Standards and Privileges Committee into the fall-out from the committee’s first report into allegations Mr Sayeed had breached members’ rules and profited from guided tours around the House of Commons
Conservative leader Michael Howard has also withdrawn the whip from Mr Sayeed, who was suspended from the Commons for two weeks following the committee’s first report.
Mr Sayeed had been a director of English Manner Limited, which portrayed itself as having exclusive access to high society events and parliament.
In its first report, the committee found no evidence that Mr Sayeed had profited directly, but said his conduct had “fallen well below the standards the House expects, and risked damaging its reputation”.
At the time Mr Sayeed said the suspension was “unjust” and criticised some of the committee’s conclusions claiming factual errors had been made. Today the committee said this amounted to a “significant and unjustified attack on our report.”
It is also unhappy about a letter that was circulated in his constituency from English Manner Limited, which was critical of the quality of the report and overall conclusions. Mr Sayeed said the statement had been issued without his knowledge by Mrs Messervy, one of the directors of the company. The committee said it was “surprised by this but have to accept the Member’s word.”
But, it concludes that the letter “misrepresented the committee’s position on a number of points and includes some factual errors”. It says that Mrs Messervy’s evidence to the committee has now been cast into “serious doubt” because of concerns about her credibility.
The committee says that it has carefully examined the complaints and rejects any claim that the report was factually inaccurate.
In addition, problems with Mr Sayeed’s expenses have come to light, revealing that he claimed over £12,000 of expenses for work on his home in Bedfordshire, which should only have been used for his London home. This has now been repaid by Mr Sayeed, but the Finance Committee is still investigating an additional £9,500 of expenses.
Mr Sayeed is also censored for inappropriately using House of Commons’ stationary and the postal system to send letters to members of his constituency association for non-parliamentary work.
The MPs say they are astonished that such a breach should occur so soon after the criticism of Mr Sayeed in its previous report. And they conclude that Mr Sayeed has not given a full apology to the House of Commons for his previous misdemeanours.
“It is a matter of regret that the Honourable Member felt unable to apologise fully. The subsequent complaints relate to matters which, viewed in isolation, would be relatively minor. In context though, they represent clear evidence of a continuing disregard by Mr Sayeed of the rules of the House.”
The committee calls on Mr Sayeed to make a personal statement to the House withdrawing his allegations about the report and accepting today’s additional reprimands.
“However, if by Monday 4 April he has not finalised arrangements with Mr Speaker for making a personal statement on these matters on an early date and on terms agreed by Mr Speaker, we recommend that the House suspend him from its service until he does so.”
Mr Sayeed announced earlier in the week that he would be standing down at the next election for health reasons.
