, Labour's Deputy Leader,
speaking in the House of Commons after being granted an Urgent
Question on standards in public life following recent
allegations about ministerial misconduct, said:
"Thank you, Mr Speaker, but this constant charade just will not
wash.
"These latest disturbing allegations about ministerial misconduct
are all about abuse of power.
"And there is one common fault, Mr Speaker, with the system
currently that the minister spoke about, and that is the power
that is granted by this Prime Minister.
"The minister spoke about personal responsibility, well the
minister needs to remind the Prime Minister of his personal
responsibility.
"Last week the Prime Minister said that he knew nothing of
'specific' allegations about misconduct by the Member for
Tamworth.
"Then, he claimed he had only been aware of 'reports and
speculation'.
"But, Mr Speaker, the truth is out today.
"And that defence has been blown apart.
" says the Prime Minister was
informed about the complaint, that was upheld, of inappropriate
behaviour against the then minister.
"Does the minister here accept is telling the truth?
"Or is he telling us the Prime Minister wasn’t aware of it?
"What happened to the complaint, Mr Speaker? And why was nothing
done at the time?
"A Minister of State at the Foreign Office has a deeply sensitive
role in national security. Was this issue even raised or brought
up in the vetting process, and was the Prime Minister
informed?
"And why was this conduct not considered a breach of the
Ministerial Code? Why did the Prime Minister allow him to stay in
post?
"This goes to the heart of wider issues here, Mr Speaker, and the
public have had enough.
"Since the resignation of yet another of the Prime Minister’s
ethics advisers last month - there has been an even bigger
ethical vacuum in Downing Street.
"With no accountability in place - how can the minister come here
today and say that this simply just wouldn't happen again?
"The Prime Minister was personally informed about these
allegations. And yet he was either negligent, or complicit.
"What message, Mr Speaker, does this send about the standards of
this Government and what they set?
"What message does this send to the British people facing a cost
of living crisis while their Government is paralysed with
scandal?
"When will this minister stop defending the indefensible - and
say enough is enough?"
