Recall of MPs Bill — Clause 2 — New Election as A Result of Conviction of an MP for An Offence Committed Before Their Election or Before Recall Bill Coming Into Force — 24 Nov 2014 at 17:45

The majority of MPs voted for an amendment to the Recall of MPs Bill which was intended, along with other amendments, to ensure a new election for an MP could be triggered as a result of an offence committed before an individual became an MP, and before the Recall of MPs Bill came into force, but were only convicted of it afterwards.

MPs were considering the Recall of MPs Bill^[1].

The amendment supported by the majority of MPs taking part in this vote stated:

• page 2, line 18, leave out “The reference in” and insert “In”.

This affected clause 2^[2] subsection(1) of the Bill which, prior to the vote, stated:

• (1) The reference in section 1(3) (the first recall condition) to an offence—
• (a) includes an offence committed before the MP became an MP, but
• (b) does not include an offence committed before the day on which section 1 comes into force.

The MP moving the motion provided an explanation of its intent:

• This amendment and amendment 17 ensure that a recall petition may be triggered by an offence committed before the day Clause 1 comes into force where an MP is convicted of the offence on or after that day and after he or she last became an MP.

Amendment 17 stated:

• Clause 2, page 2, line 18, leave out “to an offence” and insert—
• “(a) the reference to an offence includes an offence committed before the MP became an MP and an offence committed before the day on which section 1 comes into force, but
• (b) the reference to an MP being convicted of an offence is only to an MP being convicted of an offence on or after that day.”

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• [1] Parliament's webpage on the recall of MPs Bill
• [2] Clause two of the Recall of MPs Bill prior to the vote

Debate in Parliament | Source |