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The Commons Standards Commission has found that five Conservatives have violated the Code of Conduct over “malicious” attempts to affect the legal process of former Tories lawmakers.
Theresa Villiers, Natalie Elphicke, Sir Roger Gale, Adam Holloway and Bob Stewart sought to interfere with the decision on former MP Charlie Elphicke convicted of sex crimes.
The Commission has ordered former Administrators of the Environment, Villiers, and Senior Conservative Gale, Natalie Elficke, to suspend from home for a day and apologize to all five.
All five wrote letters to senior members of the judiciary, raising concerns that younger judges were considering publishing a reference to the character provided to Charlie Elphick.
“In this case, the letter signed and sent by the members was an inappropriate attempt to influence the judicial process,” the Commission said.
“Such malicious behavior can undermine the rule of law and undermine public confidence in the independence of judges if allowed to remain unchecked.”
MP’s actions turned out to have “severely damaged the reputation and integrity” of the House of Commons.
Of the three recommended to suspend, two had “substantial legal experience,” while Gale, the third, stood the longest in the group and “still accepts his mistakes.” not”.
They were all told to apologize to the Chief Judges of England and Wales, and the House of Representatives.
Sir Freud, a Tory peer, has already apologized for the letter after being found to be in breach of the Code of Conduct.
Parliamentarians sent a letter to Senior Judge Lady Justice Salwall and President of the Queen’s Bench Division, Dame Victoria Sharp, raised by a potential release of character references provided to Elphick. Asked to consider the issue.
The letter, written on the House of Commons letter paper, was also copied by Judge Whipple, who had heard the case and decided whether to publish the reference.
Natalie Elphick, Charlie Elphick’s divorced wife and successor to Congressman Dover, apologized for the Commission’s decision in a statement but expressed concern.
“My actions were motivated only by my duty to represent my members who raised serious concerns to me. It was in the public eye that I approached this matter. It was an individual I believed not to be, “she said.
“It is a deep concern for me that the Commission was not fully aware of this.
“But, as I have already admitted, I am aware that there was an error in the way I set out to raise the legitimate concerns of the members. I regret it, apologize, and You will learn from this experience in the future exercise of my mission as a member of parliament. “
A Villiers spokesman said he “deeply regrets the mistake” of signing the letter, accepting the Commission’s findings.
“She sincerely apologized for doing this. The communication was in good faith, but Ms. Villiers realized that it was wrong to raise the issue to the judge when the court hearing was pending. “We do,” added the spokesman.
Gail refused to comment on the ruling, but in evidence he told the Commission: Yes I will. “
Charlie Elphick was imprisoned for two years last September after being convicted of three assaults on two women.
One of them asked her about bondage and sex, then kissed her, groped her breasts, chased around the house, and shouted, “I’m a naughty Tory.”
In December 2020, Judge Whipple agreed to a media statement to identify the people behind the character’s references.
Tangham Debonair, the shadow commons leader of the Labor Party, said: It’s one rule for them and another for everyone else.
“This action is corrosive, it only undermines confidence in Congress and must not be allowed to continue.”
Sam blue
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