MPs arrested on suspicion of a violent or sexual offence face being excluded from attending Parliament after a key vote passed the Commons.
The Government had attempted to water down the proposals by triggering the process at the point of a police charge – rather than arrest. But in a surprise move MPs voted by a majority of one – 170-169 – in favour of an amendment on Monday evening to reinstate the original recommendation.
MPs have previously only been prevented from attending the parliamentary estate by voluntary arrangements with their own party whips under such circumstances.
Mike Clancy, general secretary of the Prospect trade union, said: “This is an important and overdue victory for common-sense and those working on the parliamentary estate. We have campaigned tirelessly for any MPs arrested for sexual or violent offences to be excluded from the estate at the point of arrest. These proposals must now be implemented as soon as possible.”
A Commons Commission proposed last year that a risk assessment would take place on whether an MP should be prevented from attending the parliamentary estate if they were arrested on suspicion of committing a violent or sexual offence. The proposal was later revised so the threshold for a ban is at the point of charge.
But the amendment passed by MPs and put forward by the Liberal Democrat MP Wendy Chamberlain reverts to the arrest threshold. Reacting to the vote, she said: “This is an important step towards making Parliament a safe and modern place to work. It is not about the guilt or innocence of any individual MP, but about safeguarding.
“It’s really important that Parliament is just as safe as any other workplace and that MPs are held to account by similar rules.
Labour MP Jess Phillips, who pressed the case for exclusion at the point of arrest, wrote on X: “Shit! We won the vote by one.” She had earlier told the Commons debate: “Today, just on this one day, I have spoken to two women who were raped by members of this Parliament; that’s a fairly standard day for me. I notice these are not the people who have so far been mentioned much today and some of them told me what they wanted me to say.”
Ms Phillips, reading out remarks, said: “Exclusion at the point of charge sends a clear message to victims that not only will we not investigate unless a victim goes to the police but we won’t act unless they’re charged, which happens in less than 1% of cases. ‘So what’s the point?’ was essentially what this victim said to me.” She added: “I’m going to stand here and speak up for them because every single one of them wishes for this to be on arrest.”