Indian-origin MP files complaint against leader’s aide
Monday, 25/07/2016
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=161661&boxid=62036&uid=&dat=2016-07-25
London: An Indian-origin Labour MP has lodged a complaint with the UK House of Commons Speaker against her party leader Jeremy Corbyn’s aide for “unauthorised entry” into her parliamentary office and “intimidating” her staff.
Seema Malhotra, 43, who had resigned as shadow chief secretary to the Treasury along with a number of her party colleagues last month, has called on Speaker Jon Bercow to launch an official investigation into the incident. The MP for Feltham and Heston has claimed people from the Opposition leader’s office used digital keys to open her office door.
“I have discovered that members of staff working for John McDonnell [shadow chancellor] and Corbyn have gained unauthorised entry into my office in Parliament. The implications of this are extremely serious. “This is a breach of parliamentary privilege and is a violation of the privacy, security and confidentiality of a member of parliament’s office,” she said in a statement to the ‘Observer’ on Sunday.
“Furthermore, my staff, including an intern, who have always been courteous and open, have felt harassed, intimidated and insecure.“I have made a formal complaint to the Speaker of the Commons and to Corbyn, and requested an investigation into how this could have happened,” the statement added.
Since the police search of newly-appointed work and pensions minister Damian Green’s office when he was an Opposition lawmaker back in 2008, it has been accepted that only a search warrant can justify an entry in a parliamentary office without the wishes of an MP.
A spokesperson for Bercow said: “The Speaker will respond to Malhotra once he has had an opportunity to consider fully the contents of her letter.” A spokesperson for Corbyn said accusations that Karie Murphy - the Labour leader’s office manager had intimidated anyone were “untrue”.PTI
Highlights
Seema Malhotra, 43, has called on Speaker Jon Bercow to launch an official investigation into the incident.
The MP for Feltham and Heston has claimed people from the Opposition leader’s office used digital keys to open her office door.
