Angela Rayner (Labour deputy leader) was required to defend Sir KeirStarmer, party boss today following his arrest for breaking the same parliamentary sleaze rules that Geoffrey Cox.
Sir Keir is accused of using Zoom to support party politics via his House Commons Office, during ‘Call Keir’ chats with activists.
Critics allege that the calls violate the same parliamentary laws Sir Geoffrey Cox was accused of violating when he held a remote court hearing in support of a legal matter he was working through in the Caribbean.
Former attorney general has come under fire after spending several weeks in high-ranking Caribbean legal positions while Parliament was sitting. This is apparently thanks to the Tory Party.
The Parliamentary Rules prohibit offices from being used for any work unrelated to the constituency MPs role.
Ms Rayner also faced questions over Sir Keir earning £100,000 in legal fees since entering Parliament in 2015.
But in a heated exchange on the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme today, Ms Rayner said: ‘I do not accept the premise that what (Sir) Geoffrey Cox was doing, advising a tax haven which is described by the Government as corrupt and using his office to do that, in any way, shape or form the same as Keir Starmer doing some legal work when he was first an MP, that is not the same.’
Sir Keir is accused of using Zoom to support party politics via his House Commons Office, during ‘Call Keir’ chats with activists.
In a heated exchange, however, Ms Rayner stated that she did not believe Sir Geoffrey Cox’s actions were the same as KeirStarmer.
She continued, “We said we had established a commission of integrity and ethics so it can be fit for its purpose. We will always work in the best interests of British citizens.”
‘We’ve said that we’d ban second jobs but there will be some areas like where we’ve got an A&E doctor that’s practising at the moment, so that they can continue to do that because they need that for their professional practice.’
She said, “Sleaze after scandal, corruption after corruption. We have to stop this because it seriously undermines the public’s trust in our government.”
The Labour leader was pictured in his Westminster HQ launching a programme of ‘virtual public meetings’ last year.
Party supporters claim that the first event was held in spring 2020 and followed by another ‘Call Keir’ meeting at Labour’s leader’s house in October 2017.
On the Labour Party’s website, the program of Zoom meetings lasting an hour was described as an event where Keir Starmer would listen and answer questions from members of the public.
However, the Commons code says that members shall make sure that public resources are used to support their parliamentary duties.
Harry Fone from the TaxPayers’ Alliance was the grassroots campaign manager and stated last night that taxpayers would be furious that funds they had funded were being used for political ends.
Politians must remember they are serving the electorate at their pleasure. They should never abuse taxpayers and voters’ trust.
All members must follow the rules, regardless of their rank. If they are broken, appropriate sanctions should be taken.
Labour, however, stressed the fact that the inaugural event was held during the initial Covid lockdown of 2020. She said: ‘There have not been any rules broken. Engagement with the public is an essential part of Her Majesty’s Opposition leadership.’ke
Barrister Sir Keir was accused of not taking a second lucrative job in Mischon de Reya law firm because Jeremy Corbyn, his former leader, had advised him to. Sir Keir’s office insists that he made the choice not to accept the job.
Labour accuse Boris Johnson, however, of running away from the sleaze allegations. He obstructed further discussion on his damning standards report.
Barrister Sir Keir was accused of not taking a second lucrative job in Mischon de Reya law firm because Jeremy Corbyn, then his leader, had advised him to. Pictured in the House of Commons on November 8.
Tomorrow, MPs will approve the Standards Committee report which found Tory senior Owen Paterson guilty by paid advocacy. It called for Mr Paterson’s expulsion from the House and for him to be suspended for 30 days.
This would be Johnson’s embarrassing U-turn after his attempt to stop the Paterson Report collapsed ten day ago.
Labour however protested against the fact that the move had been scheduled at the final moment of proceedings tomorrow without any time for debate.