Politicians reject Kelly's plan to investigate misconduct complaints

Sir Christopher Kelly's report contrasts with the Commons standards and privileges committee

12 April 2012

MPs rejected a key part of Sir Christopher Kelly's clean-up of Parliament today by moving to curb investigations into their misconduct.

The sleaze watchdog said yesterday that it should be easier for the public to trigger investigations into MPs without submitting a formal complaint.

But the Commons standards and privileges committee ruled today that only in "exceptional circumstances" should the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner investigate allegations.

The committee also cleared Tory frontbencher Alan Duncan of abusing his expenses to pay for a mortgage on his second home. The shadow prisons minister was not guilty of misusing taxpayers' money because he followed Commons rules, the committee said.

The MPs - and Standards Commissioner John Lyon - were scathing of Labour MP John Mann for demanding an inquiry into Mr Duncan without submitting a formal complaint.

The committee ruled: "Investigations of this kind cost public money.

"We will agree to the Commissioner investigating allegations against members in the absence of a formal complaint only in exceptional circumstances."

The MPs' verdict contrasts with Sir Christopher's report yesterday, which listed reforms to repair damage from the expenses scandal. His Committee on Standards in Public Life called for at least two lay members to join the standards committee and said: "The Standards Commissioner should be able to conduct investigations without waiting for a formal complaint."

A minister became the first to publicly hit out at Sir Christopher's conclusions today. Work and Pensions Minister Helen Goodman said his reforms could hit prospective MPs with families.

"We seem to have been looking at the expenses first and the consequences for who can and cannot aff ord to be a parliamentarian fall out of that," she told BBC Radio4's Today programme.

Wives of MPs are to go to the High Court to fight a ban on being employed by their husbands. Many are furious that the Sir Christopher recommended banning MPs from employing relatives. About 20 met a lawyer from the Unite union last night.