UK MPs suspected of serious sexual or violent offences may face exclusion from parliament following a recent rule change in a close vote on Monday.
By a narrow margin, parliament decided that MPs arrested over such allegations should undergo a risk assessment, potentially resulting in their exclusion from the House of Commons.
This decision strengthens a proposal from the Conservative government, which initially suggested that MPs should only be barred if formally charged after arrest.
Key figures supporting the amendment included former Prime Minister Theresa May and Natalie Elphicke, who recently switched from the Conservatives to Labour.
Previously, MPs determined with their respective parties whether they could attend parliament following arrests for serious offences. Now, an independent panel will make this determination.
Several MPs have faced arrests for such offences since the 2019 general election. Imran Ahmad Khan, Conservative MP for Wakefield, was convicted in 2022 of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old. Another Tory, Charlie Elphicke, was imprisoned in 2020 for similar offences. Additionally, Conservative Crispin Blunt faced arrest for rape suspicion in October 2023 and now serves as an independent MP.
Other MPs have faced party suspensions over sexual misconduct allegations that did not lead to police action.
Labour’s Chris Bryant welcomed the change, emphasizing the need for parliamentary accountability akin to other workplaces. Mike Clancy of the Prospect trade union hailed it as a “long overdue victory.”
However, Conservative Michael Ellis raised concerns about legal and constitutional implications, stressing the importance of the presumption of innocence until proven guilty.
