MPs blast plans for raid inquiry

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House of Commons (UK only)

Ministers have been accused of trying to "stymie" a Commons inquiry into a police raid on a Tory MP's office.

Government plans were an attempt "delay its work until the controversy has blown over", Tory Theresa May told MPs.

Commons leader Harriet Harman said any inquiry had to avoid the perception it was "breathing down the police's neck".

Ministers won a vote allowing the inquiry to begin after the police probe has finished and for the committee to be dominated by Labour MPs.

But after the vote, which the government won by 293 votes to 270, both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats said they would not recommend to their members that they sit on the committee.

An amendment that would have changed the timing and remit of the Commons inquiry earlier fell by 285 to 281, a majority of just four votes.

'Whitewash' attack

During the debate Ms Harman said the next House of Commons Commission meeting would consider whether a High Court judge should have to grant a warrant if police wanted to carry out a parliamentary search in future.

But in angry exchanges, the Conservative former minister Douglas Hogg accused the government of "concealment, duplicity, whitewash and cover-up".

The Tories and Lib Dems pushed to double the length of the debate to six hours, but were defeated by the government.

Lib Dem spokesman Simon Hughes accused the government of "trying to clamp down on the House of Commons having its say".

It is I believe not only a gross discourtesy to the Speaker but a flagrant abuse of the power of the executive in relation to the wishes and interests of this House Theresa MayShadow Commons leader

But Labour backbencher Frank Field said the debate was descending into a "pantomime" and MPs would be judged on how they voted.

The opposition parties are angry that while Speaker Michael Martin promised a "speedy" inquiry by a committee of seven MPs chosen by him, the government has proposed a committee dominated by Labour MPs which will not start work until after the police investigation has finished.

Ms May said the government's plans "fly in the face" of the Speaker's pledge.

'Properly protected'

She told MPs: "It is I believe not only a gross discourtesy to the Speaker but a flagrant abuse of the power of the executive in relation to the wishes and interests of this House, a blatant attempt by government to pack the committee, stymie its debate and delay its work until the controversy has blown over."

For the Lib Dems, Mr Hughes accused Ms Harman of "arrogantly and disrespectfully" trying to change the Speaker's plans "in the interest of government".

Ms Harman told MPs the issues that needed to be considered were whether MPs' papers were "properly protected", what led up to the police search and whether "important constitutional principles were properly protected".

It is for neither government nor opposition to pronounce what the evidence is and whether a crime has been committed Harriet HarmanCommons leader

But with the parliamentary inquiry she said it was important to avoid any perception it was "breathing down the police's neck" or prejudice any future court proceedings.

She said the inquiry would fall "on the same territory as the current police investigation" and ministers and opposition leaders had to be "very careful about what they say".

"It is for neither government nor opposition to pronounce what the evidence is and whether a crime has been committed," she said.

Rules 'not clear'

Ms May said the Tories would not support any inquiry dominated by Labour MPs. The Lib Dems have already said they will boycott the inquiry in its current form.

In rowdy scenes, Tory backbencher Sir Nicholas Winterton said even in Zimbabwe in 1982 Robert Mugabe's police had not entered Parliament to arrest an MP.

Mr Hogg accused the government of 'whitewash'

But the Labour former minister Frank Dobson told MPs the rules on police entering the Commons were "not clear".

"We all agree there's something called parliamentary privileges but hardly anyone agrees exactly what it amounts to," he said.

Mr Green, the MP who was arrested, stood up at one point to caution Mr Dobson who suggested the Tory MP had a "sort of standing order with this civil servant" to get a continuation of leaks.

Mr Green said the Speaker had warned against saying anything prejudicial and said Mr Dobson had gone "way over the line".

The row erupted after Mr Green was arrested 10 days ago and held for nine hours by the Metropolitan Police.

His homes and parliamentary office were searched, as part of an inquiry into allegations of leaks from the Home Office.

MPs were angry police had been allowed to enter the Commons, without a warrant - something Speaker Michael Martin has already said he regrets.

Mr Martin revealed to MPs last Wednesday that he had been told in advance the search of Mr Green's office was to take place.

But he said he had not been told by Serjeant at Arms Jill Pay, who authorised the search, that the police had not had a search warrant.