Tories and Lib Dems shun inquiry

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House of Commons (UK only)

The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have said they will not take part in a Commons inquiry into the police raid on MP Damian Green's Parliamentary office.

The government won a vote to set up a committee dominated by Labour MPs which would not begin work until after the police inquiry finished.

But the Lib Dems denounced the inquiry as a "nonsense" and both they and the Tories said they would not take part.

A vote which would have changed its remit was lost by just four votes.

The second vote, on the government's motion, was won by 293 votes to 270.

'Whitewash' attack

But both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats said they would not recommend to their members that they sit on the committee.

During a stormy three-hour debate, the government was accused of trying to "stymie" a Commons inquiry into the police raid on Tory frontbencher Mr Green's office - part of a wider investigation into Home Office leaks.

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

Commons leader Harriet 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, Conservative former minister Douglas Hogg accused the government of "concealment, duplicity, whitewash and cover-up".

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

'Properly protected'

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.

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

Shadow Commons leader Theresa May said the government's plans "fly in the face" of the Speaker's pledge.

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".

Rules 'not clear'

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".

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

Mr Hogg accused the government of 'whitewash'

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.

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.

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 that 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.

But the Speaker himself did not come in for criticism during the debate, despite 32 MPs telling the BBC at the weekend they had lost confidence in him.