The Labour Party has called for an investigation into Kwasi Kwarteng’s comments to Sky News about the future of parliament’s standards watchdog.
Earlier on Thursday morning, the business secretary suggested that Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone should consider her position in the wake of the Owen Paterson row centred on MPs’ lobbying rules.
Now, Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson‘s independent adviser on ministers’ interests, Lord Geidt, demanding an inquiry into Mr Kwarteng’s comments to Sky’s Kay Burley.
Ms Rayner claims the business secretary’s remarks may have breached the ministerial code.
Mr Kwarteng was asked whether Ms Stone should resign after Conservative MPs – with the encouragement of the prime minister – passed a motion on Wednesday in favour of ignoring Mr Paterson’s month-long Commons suspension, which had been suggested by the commissioner.
In reply, he said Ms Stone should “decide her position”.
Later on Wednesday, a few hours after the business secretary’s interview on Sky News, the government was forced into a U-turn over plans to examine Mr Paterson’s case and the standards system following severe backlash at Wednesday’s result.
Mr Kwarteng told Sky News: “I think it’s difficult to see what the future of the commissioner is, given the fact that we’re reviewing the process, and we’re overturning and trying to reform this whole process.
“But it’s up to the commissioner to decide her position.”
Kwasi Kwarteng told Sky News it is difficult to see what the future of the commissioner is
Pushed on what he meant by “decide her position”, the business secretary said: “It’s up to her to do that.
“I mean, it’s up to anyone where they’ve…
Source : skynews
