Debate and Vote on Keith Vaz’s add to Justice Committee

The House of Commons approved a motion to put Keith Vaz on the Justice Committee by 203 to 7. Hansard transcript is below and here [1] voters [2]. Reports from Telegraph [10] [11], Independent [7], Guido Fawkes has been the leader on Vaz recently [8], 2016 Sept 4 Order Order Bercow Knew Vaz Was Under Police Investigation [13] , David Henke [5] and Guardian [14] 

Conservatives whips apparently ordered their MPs to vote for Vaz [8].  This perhaps explains, the fact that in a bewildering display of support, the majority, 159 of 203 [8] [7], of those who voted for Keith Vaz [2], were Conservatives including 11 cabinet ministers including Amber Rudd the Home Secretary [15]. Two Conservatives voted both for and against in a bid to abstain [7]

Notable voters for Vaz were previously anti child abuse figures Tom Watson and the recently “independent” Simon Danczuk [2] .

This apparent show of confidence in the many times disgraced on multiple issues Vaz, is also despite a Leicestershire Police investigation into child sexual abuse allegations against Keith Vaz [13] [3] which speaker Bercow was adamant that Bridgen should not mention. Bercow incidentally is thought to be close friends with Keith Vaz.

Outside the self obsessed Westminster bubble, ordinary people are bemused and appalled that a man with so many questions about him and current investigations into him has the audacity to go for membership of a committee.

They are appalled that his party, the Labour Party, support him – No Jeremy Corbyn it is not a private matter; Corbyn already has questions to answer over child abuse in Islington, the apparent support of the Labour Party of Vaz, adds more questions.

They are appalled that the Conservatives were willing to overcome the normally kneejerk party politics and any legitimate concerns to support Vaz so overwhelmingly and be so supine as to bend to the will of their whips. Apparently the Telegraph believes this is so that setting a precedent of objecting to appointments is avoided, which could undermine the whole system [10]. Not mentioned is the huge backlog of child abuse to come out about the Conservatives.

This brings up questions about the party political system, how hierachical and how easily it can be manipulated by a few people, how unaccountable the Parties really are and of course not subject to FOI.

I wonder when IICSA is going to get round to investigating the political parties?

Vaz’s appointment to the Justice committee is a snub to child abuse campaigners as well as the rapidly diminishing number who seek to believe in the good intentions of this “parliamentary democracy”, in reality a corporate obsessed parliamentary monarchy with veneer of democracy and justice, and controlled behind the scenes by the bankers, deep state, secret services and societies.

It appears to some that it is the establishment protecting itself and ensures that Keith Vaz does not reveal for now any secrets that he may know about child abuse in Leicestershire, or the corridors of power and the powerful and particularly the abundance of child abuse revelations that should come out about the Conservatives.

It stinks.

As Bridgen told a less-than-packed House of Commons: “I do not believe that the right hon. Member for Leicester East joining the Justice Committee will do anything to enhance the reputation and perception of Parliament among the public: indeed, it will do the opposite.”

Even the establishment Telegraph headline is “Keith Vaz’s new job makes Parliament look like a cosy club that always looks after its own” [10] and appalling judgement of Conservative whips [15]

Quite so chaps, what ho. Mustn’t give the show away though must we.

System 1 Child Abuse Victims 0

or realistically more like

System and Child Abusers, Enablers and Gatekeepers, and the powerful  5,879

Survivors, Victims, Truth, Democracy, Ethics, Morals and the public  2

The obvious conflicts of interest apparently do not seem to concern the House of Commons, which appears to have no procedures for weeding out those under criminal investigations or with multiple conflicts of interest [4]

The Vaz vote of shame announcement by Vaz’s friend Bercow

I have put in an FOI request to the House of Commons to find out who nominated and seconded Vaz, as well as other items of information [12] FOI Request Keith Vaz nominators to the Justice Committee

House of Commons Hansard

Justice Committee

31 October 2016

Volume 616

9.02 pm

• Bill Wiggin (North Herefordshire) (Con)
  I beg to move,

  That Chris Elmore and Dr Rupa Huq be discharged from the Justice Committee and Kate Green and Keith Vaz be added.This motion is the decision of the Committee of Selection. It respects the wish of the Labour party in electing those Members to this Committee.

9.03 pm

• Andrew Bridgen (North West Leicestershire) (Con)

  I rise to object to the appointment of the right hon. Member for Leicester East (Keith Vaz) to the Justice Committee. I informed the right hon. Gentleman’s office this afternoon of my intention to do so.I am aware that this is not a conduct debate and will therefore try to limit my remarks to why I believe the right hon. Member for Leicester East is at this time unsuitable for a role on the Committee to which he has been nominated, and to matters already on the public record and in the public domain. I am sure that should I cross the line or if my remarks are out of order, you will be as quick as always to advise and correct me, Mr Speaker.I put on record that I have no objection to the appointment of the hon. Member for Stretford and Urmston (Kate Green). In my view, it is unfortunate that her appointment has been linked with that of the other Member in question.Mr Speaker, since I have been in this House, and on almost a weekly basis—from memory, it is usually on a Wednesday around about noon—you have reminded us how important the public perception of the workings of the House and the behaviour of its Members are in fashioning the public’s opinion of Parliament and our whole democratic system. You were quoted only last week, following the hugely successful Nottinghamshire event, as saying:“There is a lot of evidence that people have a low opinion of politics and politicians”.I agree, Mr Speaker, and that is unfortunately true. I do not believe that the right hon. Member for Leicester East joining the Justice Committee will do anything to enhance the reputation and perception of Parliament among the public; indeed, it will do the opposite.

• Mr David Hanson (Delyn) (Lab)

   I am a member of the Justice Committee. I am also a member of the Labour party. As the hon. Member for North Herefordshire (Bill Wiggin) said, it is the Labour party’s choice to put my right hon. Friend the Member for Leicester East (Keith Vaz) on the Committee. What right does the hon. Member for North West Leicestershire (Andrew Bridgen) have to tell the Labour party who to put on our Committees?
  Andrew Bridgen

  If that is the right hon. Gentleman’s belief, I suggest he speaks in the debate on behalf of the right hon. Member for Leicester East. Representing a Committee of the House reflects on this House. As a Member of the House, I have right to object.

• Mr Nicholas Brown (Newcastle upon Tyne East) (Lab)

    On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I wonder whether you could clarify to the House what the rights of Members of other parties—parties that do not have nominating rights—are in these matters now that we have changed our rules so that each party selects and nominates its preferred candidates.

• Mr Speaker

   It is the House that appoints to the Committee, and it is for the House to decide. It is on that basis that these matters are brought to the House and subject to motions moved by the Committee of Selection. Of course, as the right hon. Gentleman’s long experience will tell him, it is normal and commonplace for these matters to go through without objection, but it is perfectly orderly for someone to object if he or she so wishes.

• Andrew Bridgen

  rose—

• Mr Speaker

  Order. I will come to the hon. Gentlemen —he will continue his speech in a moment. He himself anticipated the possibility that the Chair might take an interest if he were to cross the line between what was legitimate and orderly to say and what was not. Thus far, the hon. Gentleman has observed that distinction and, on that basis, I am content for him at this stage to continue.

• Mr John Spellar (Warley) (Lab)

   Further to that point of order, Mr Speaker. It is absolutely right that we have procedures, but we also have conventions, which evolve. The convention that has evolved in the House, as far as I am aware, is that each of the parties, within their own ranks, decides their members of the Committees, although the whole House votes, rightly or wrongly, on who the Chairs of the Committees should be. Therefore, gratuitously for a Member to try to disrupt that convention is extremely unfortunate, even if it might be just the right side of the Standing Orders.

   

• Mr Speaker

   I entirely understand what the right hon. Gentleman is saying. I am not insensitive to him or to his point, which he has made with his usual force and eloquence. That said, a convention is one thing and a binding rule is another. I must simply make the point that, at this stage, the hon. Member for North West Leicestershire (Andrew Bridgen) is in order. He may have offended the sensibilities of the right hon. Gentleman, and indeed departed from what is normal convention in this place, but he is at this stage in order.

   

• Andrew Bridgen

  Thank you for that clarification, Mr Speaker. I am pleased that so far the speech is so good.An allegation in the Sunday Mirror, with supporting video footage, implied that the right hon. Member for Leicester East had offered to purchase class A drugs while using the services of escorts.

   

• Mr Spellar

  It is very interesting that the hon. Gentleman should cite the tabloid press which has, from time to time, taken an unhealthy interest in his activities.

• Karl MᶜCartney (Lincoln) (Con)

  That got disproved, and he is not the one who is up for the Justice Committee.

• Mr Speaker

  Order. Mr McCartney, calm yourself. Be quiet, young man. We do not need to hear from you. You add nothing and you subtract from the proceedings. Mr Bridgen is perfectly capable of addressing these matters to the best of his ability and according to his own lights. He does not require a sedentary interjection from you.

• Andrew Bridgen

   I am here to try to address matters pertaining to the reputation of this House. If the right hon. Member for Warley (Mr Spellar) wishes to make light of that, it is for his conscience, not mine. I am here to make my speech and force a vote, in which he will be at liberty to make his opinion known.In July this year, the Home Affairs Committee published a report calling for the decriminalisation of soliciting by sex workers and of sex workers sharing premises. It also looked at the use of poppers. The Committee, at the time, was chaired by the right hon. Member for Leicester East. Following the much publicised exposé in the Sunday Mirror, he decided—belatedly, in my view—to resign from his position. But here we are, only a relatively few weeks later, and the same Member seeks a position on the prestigious and influential Justice Committee while matters relating to his recent resignation remain unresolved.I wrote to Scotland Yard on 5 September to establish whether a crime had been committed by the right hon. Gentleman with regards to the allegation of conspiracy to supply a controlled substance. I received a letter, dated 9 September, from Commander Stuart Cundy of the specialist crime investigation unit, stating that an assessment of the information had commenced and that, following that assessment, a decision would be taken on the most appropriate course of action. No course of action has yet been determined by Scotland Yard, so a possible police investigation still hangs over the right hon. Gentleman.Also on 5 September, I wrote to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards with regard to the right hon. Gentleman. An investigation was instigated and then immediately suspended, as is the procedure, pending the results of the police assessment. Should Scotland Yard decide in due course not to investigate the said Member with regards to potential criminal activity, the parliamentary standards investigation will commence immediately.It is fair to say that the right hon. Member for Leicester East has quite a history regarding parliamentary standards. He was subject to extensive inquiries by Elizabeth Filkin, the then commissioner, into allegations of misconduct in 2001 and 2002. He was suspended from the House for one month in 2002 for breaches of the MPs’ code of conduct. I do not intend to list all the right hon. Gentleman’s brushes with parliamentary standards as I do not wish to detain colleagues longer than necessary.Further to my letter to the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, in which I urged Scotland Yard to liaise with Leicestershire police, it has been stated that four witnesses have confirmed that they were recently interviewed by Leicestershire police and that their inquiries have been going on for at least a year. Those inquiries concern allegations that the right hon. Member for Leicester East abused his position in public office—

• Mr Speaker

   Order. The hon. Gentleman will resume his seat. He will know that I take advice on these matters. Having treated of matters that are very much within the public domain until now, his speech has strayed from there. I have consulted on the matter and he is now treating of matters that are not in the same category. He must desist.

• Andrew Bridgen

   Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have raised concerns with you about the conduct of the right hon. Member for Leicester East historically—

• Mr Speaker

  Order. The hon. Gentleman will resume his seat. Let me say clearly to the hon. Gentleman, and in terms that brook no contradiction, that he would be unwise to go into those matters. He has written to me and I have written back to him. I explained to him factually—factually—in a manner that cannot be disputed or gainsaid that it is not for the Speaker of this House to seek to persuade someone to step down as the Chair of a Committee because of suspicions that some people might have about him. That is not the role of the Speaker of the House of Commons. If the hon. Gentleman were a more experienced Member, he would probably be aware of that fact. I urge the hon. Gentleman to focus on those matters which it is proper and legitimate for him to raise, and not upon those which it is not.

• Andrew Bridgen

  Thank you. Mr Speaker, you have often said that this place must reflect the society for which we make the laws—I agree with you. I respectfully point out to the House that in any other sphere of activity, a candidate with so much hanging unresolved over him would be very unlikely to be considered for such an important office. If the right hon. Gentleman were in the Chamber today, I would ask him to stand down from his nomination, but he is not, so I ask the House to reject his appointment. Otherwise, we cannot blame the great British public for having a low opinion of its politicians and its politics; we can only blame ourselves.In conclusion, I will leave the House with this question. If the right hon. Member for Leicester East thought himself only last month not fit to be a member of the Home Affairs Committee, and given that the matters relating his resignation are, as I have explained, unresolved, what makes him think that he is a fit and proper person to be a member of the Justice Committee this month?

• Jake Berry (Rossendale and Darwen) (Con)

  Before my hon. Friend draws his remarks to a conclusion, some correspondence has been referred to this evening. I wonder if he will say whether it is possible to publish that correspondence to ensure that hon. Members on both sides of the House have an opportunity to consider all of the facts.

• Mr Speaker

  Order. That is nothing to do with the debate, as I have just been advised by the Clerk of the House. Don’t frown at me, Mr Berry. I know the facts and you’re about to learn them. That is nothing to do with the debate tonight—point one. Secondly, there is no uncertainty or dubiety whatsoever about the correspondence between the hon. Gentleman and me. Indeed, I do not think there is any uncertainty at all about the advice that was proffered not just by me but by the Clerk of the House. Whether he wishes and is astute enough to take that advice is another matter.

• Andrew Bridgen

  Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank my hon. Friend’s failed attempt to help in this debate.It is clear that the right hon. Member for Leicester East felt the need to resign last month from the Home Affairs Committee. I think it would be a huge mistake for this House now to place him on the Justice Committee when he has so many questions to answer. I urge all right hon. and hon. Members to vote against his appointment this evening.Question put.

  Please note that victims of abuse may be triggered by reading this information. These links are generally UK based.

  • The Sanctuary for the Abused [A] has advice on how to prevent triggers.
  • National Association for People Abused in Childhood [B] has a freephone helpline and has links to local support groups.
  • Other useful sites are One in Four [C]
  • and Havoca [D].
  • Useful post on Triggers [E]  from SurvivorsJustice [F] blog.
  • Jim Hoppers pages on Mindfulness [G]  and Meditation [H] may be useful.
  • Hwaairfan blog An Indigenous Australian Approach to Healing Trauma  [J]
  • Survivors UK for victims and survivors of male rape or the sexual abuse of men [K]
  • Voicing CSA group [L] helps arrange survivors meetings in your area
  • A Prescription for me blog Various emotional support links [M]
  • ShatterBoys -“Male Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse Inspiring change, Through Shared Experience Whilst Building Connections…Together We Can Heal” [N]

Links

 

[1] Hansard Motion on Vaz Appointment to Justice Committee https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-10-31/debates/0F9B8D86-F329-4109-A397-1D7815051C88/JusticeCommittee?highlight=bridgen#contribution-251415A7-B50F-4604-BDA8-B2D312939D1C

[2] Hansard Vote on Vaz Motion https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-10-31/division/6259D799-00C9-4801-BA93-3941DA2CD80D/JusticeCommittee?outputType=Names

[3] 2016 Sept 4 Cathy Fox Blog More Vaz Sleaze and Government Child Sex Abuse Cover ups https://cathyfox.wordpress.com/2016/09/04/more-vaz-sex-sleaze-and-government-child-sex-abuse-cover-ups/

[4] 2016 Oct 25 Cathy Fox Blog Keith Vaz and MP Standards of Behaviour https://cathyfox.wordpress.com/2016/10/25/keith-vaz-and-mp-standards-of-behaviour/

[5] 2016 Nov 1 David Hencke blog The Keith Vaz Westminster fan club: Why do they protect this man https://davidhencke.com/2016/11/01/the-keith-vaz-westminster-fan-club-why-do-they-protect-this-man/

[6] 2016 Oct 31 You Tube https://youtu.be/oWRjz435yHY

[7]  2016 Nov 1 Independent MPs back Keith Vaz appointment to Justice Select Committee http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/mps-parliamentary-vote-keith-vaz-justice-select-committee-a7390341.html

[8] 2016 Nov 1 Guido Fawkes website Tory Whips saved Vaz http://order-order.com/2016/11/01/tory-whips-saved-vaz/

[9] 2016 OCt 31 BBC Keith Vaz joins Commons justice committee http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37829906

[10] 2016 Nov 1 Telegraph Keith Vaz’s new job makes Parliament look like a cosy club that always looks after its own http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/01/keith-vazs-new-job-makes-parliament-look-like-a-cosy-club-that-a/

[11] 2016 Nov 1 Telegraph Tory MPs defeat bid to stop Keith Vaz from being appointed to Justice Committee http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/01/tory-mps-defeat-bid-to-stop-keith-vaz-from-being-appointed-to-ju/

[12] What Do they Know FOI Request Keith Vaz nominators to the Justice Committee https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/keith_vaz_nominators_to_the_just

[13]  2016 Sept 4 Order Order Bercow Knew Vaz Was Under Police Investigation http://order-order.com/2016/09/04/244563/ Keith Vaz has been under police investigation for over year on suspicion of financial corruption and historic allegations of sex with minors. Speaker Bercow was informed of this and fellow MPs demanded – Andrew Bridgen in writing – that he step down from his position on the Home Affair Select Committee. The Speaker protected Vaz… It is widely known around Westminster that Vaz – who owes his career to Greville Janner – was the unidentified MP in this Sun front page from last year.

[14] 2016 Nov 2 Guardian Tories face questions over support of Keith Vaz committee appointment https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/nov/02/tories-questions-support-keith-vaz-justice-committee-appointment?CMP=share_btn_tw

[15] 2016 Nov 1 Telegraph Amber Rudd and 10 Cabinet members under fire for giving Keith Vaz scrutiny role on prisons policy http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/01/amber-rudd-and-10-cabinet-members-under-fire-for-giving-keith-va/

[A] Sanctuary for the Abused http://abusesanctuary.blogspot.co.uk/2006/07/for-survivors-coping-with-triggers-if.html

[B] NAPAC http://www.napac.org.uk/

[C] One in Four http://www.oneinfour.org.uk/

[D] Havoca http://www.havoca.org/HAVOCA_home.htm

[E] SurvivorsJustice Triggers post http://survivorsjustice.com/2014/02/26/triggers-what-are-they-and-how-do-we-work-through-them/

[F] SurvivorsJustice Blog http://survivorsjustice.com/

[G] Jim Hopper Mindfulness http://www.jimhopper.com/mindfulness/

[H] Jim Hopper Meditation http://www.jimhopper.com/mindfulness/#cultivate

[J] 2016 Jan 5 Hwaairfan blog An Indigenous Australian Approach to Healing Trauma https://hwaairfan.wordpress.com/2016/01/05/an-indigenous-australian-approach-to-healing-trauma/

[K] Survivors UK website for victims and survivors of male rape or the sexual abuse of men https://www.survivorsuk.org/ and twitter https://twitter.com/SurvivorsUK

[L] Voicing CSA website – http://voicingcsa.uk/ helps arrange survivors meetings in your area. Voicing CSA supports the IICSA and VSCP and works to help adult survivors of child sexual abuse find their voice

[M] A Prescription for me blog Various emotional support links https://aprescriptionforme.wordpress.com/help/#emotionalsupport

[N] ShatterBoys -“Male Survivors Of Childhood Sexual Abuse Inspiring change, Through Shared Experience Whilst Building Connections…Together We Can Heal”.  blog – https://shatterboysuk.wordpress.com/ email – shatterboysuk@gmail.com facebook – https://www.facebook.com/shatterboysuk/?fref=ts twitter – @Shatter_Boys_UK

This is all written in good faith but if there is anything that needs to be corrected please email corrections@cathyfox.33mail.com quoting the article title

If you would like to contact me in confidence, please email confidence@cathyfox.33mail.com

Other email vaz3@cathyfox33mail.com

cathyfox

the truth will out, the truth will shout, the truth will set us free

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing” – Edmund Burke

“He who does not bellow the truth when he knows the truth makes himself the accomplice of liars and forgers.” Charles Peguy

To sin by silence when we should protest makes cowards out of men  – Ella  Wheeler Wilcox

Every time we act in the face of fear, we dilute it’s power and increase our confidence – via Gary Havener

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save