Sayeed suspended from the Commons
Conservative MP Jonathan Sayeed has been suspended from the House of Commons for two weeks.
The decision by the Commons to suspend Mr Sayeed came after the Commons Standards and Privileges Committee, which regulates MPs conduct, concluded that the MP’s conduct “has fallen well below the standards the House expects, and risked damaging its reputation.”
It recommended a two week suspension, which has now been endorsed by MPs.
Mr Sayeed has already been suspended from the Conservative whip for a month. Party leader Michael Howard said: “Such behaviour in a Conservative Member of Parliament is completely unacceptable, and I condemn it without hesitation.”
The case relates to Mr Sayeed’s involvement with The English Manner Limited, to which he acted as a consultant and had a 30 per cent share. The company offers luxury travel packages to the UK for Americans, including lessons in English etiquette and access to exclusive events and institutions.
As part of the package, tours of the House of Commons were publicised and on a number of occasions Mr Sayeed provided entertainment in the House for individuals connected with the company.
House rules state that members cannot exploit the privileges they enjoy as a member for personal gain or to pursue a commercial interest. This includes indirect gain, through enhancing the value of an investment.
The Standards and Privileges Committee said that there was no evidence Mr Sayeed received any direct financial gain from occasions where he entertained people in the House who were connected to The English Manner Limited, but it did not accept his argument that all such occasions were undertaken on a purely personal basis.
It lists a number of occasions where guests could have reasonably assumed that the access they were given to parliament was as a result of The English Manner’s services.
The committee stated: “Taken as a whole, the effect of the visits to the House was likely to be to give credibility to the company’s overall marketing claim that it could gain access for its clients to institutions, people and places which would otherwise be difficult. Such an enhancement of credibility would be likely to have a beneficial effect on the company’s business, and hence on the value of Mr Sayeed’s investment.
“He thus stood to benefit indirectly, both as a shareholder and as a consultant to the company, in which capacity he received fees and expenses-paid travel in return for the advice he gave.”
The committee concluded: “Taken together, Mr Sayeed’s conduct has fallen well below the standards the House expects, and risked damaging its reputation. He has himself acknowledged that ‘I did not exercise sufficient personal control over a company in which I have an interest’. We consider that he should apologise to the House and we recommend that he be suspended from its service for a period of two weeks.”
Immediately after the report, Mr Sayeed vigorously denied any impropriety and said he thought the committee’s ruling to be “unjust”.
He has since resigned as a consultant to the firm and dropped his 30 per cent share in the company.
Last night, Mr Sayeed made an “unreserved” apology to MPs in the Commons.
“I accept that a complaint was brought because of ineffectual internal controls in a company in which I had an interest and that as an MP I was negligent in not checking the actions of that company,” Mr Sayeed said.
“For that I unreservedly apologise to the House.”
The Standards and Privileges Committee now must decide whether this constitutes a full and unreserved apology.
To make matters worse for Mr Sayeed, he could face a de-selection challenge.
His local constituency association called a special meeting for February 17 to discuss his future.
