New MP Proposes Criminal Record Checks for Members of Parliament and Peers

Members of Parliament and peers might be required to undergo criminal record checks, given their extensive access to young and vulnerable individuals, according to suggestions put forward by a recently elected Member of Parliament. Labour MP Jo White has advocated for comprehensive background verifications, conducted by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), to be part of the process for Members of Parliament entering Parliament. While individuals are prohibited from seeking election as MPs if they have received a prison sentence exceeding one year anywhere in the British Isles, or have been found guilty of corruption, there is currently no mandate for DBS checks. These checks are mandatory for employment roles involving significant contact with vulnerable individuals, such as a teacher, social worker or GP. Jo White, who represents Bassetlaw in Nottinghamshire, stated that the existing framework presumes parliamentarians are “fit and proper” individuals, lacking any demand for substantiation. “The level of access you get as an MP is a bit like Jimmy Savile,” White told the BBC. Savile’s activities as an entertainer for the BBC and his philanthropic endeavors provided him with unmonitored access to sensitive locations, including hospital wards, schools, and mortuaries, where he perpetrated abuse against vulnerable individuals. Since her election as an MP in July, White noted her observation that “most people will not stop you going into services in your constituency,” she further stated. Members of Parliament routinely engage with constituents in their professional capacity and frequently champion their causes if they encounter difficulties accessing local provisions. Given this degree of accessibility, “if an MP wants to wield power” it would be quite simple because “lots of people are star struck”, she commented. “If you are predatory, that is how it happens,” she said. These verifications inform prospective employers whether an applicant possesses a criminal history or is prohibited from engaging with children or vulnerable adults. Certain local government bodies, such as Hackney Councils, conduct DBS checks on their elected representatives. Furthermore, DBS checks for elected councillors nationwide are presently considered “best practice” but remain non-compulsory. The House of Lords Appointments Commission scrutinizes prospective peers to “ensure the highest standards of propriety”. However, individuals seeking election to Parliament are permitted to run even if they have a criminal record or are listed on the child barred list or adult barred list – with exceptions for those who have completed a prison sentence exceeding 12 months, been convicted of corruption, or are subject to bankruptcy limitations. Beyond these provisions, political parties bear the responsibility for conducting their own screening processes to guarantee the selection of suitable candidates. White asserted that implementing DBS checks within Parliament would elevate vetting standards, as “parties will not risk putting a candidate forward without” independently verifying their criminal background. Furthermore, a DBS check would empower the electorate to make more knowledgeable decisions regarding their chosen representatives. Concurrently, this alteration would “make Parliament a safer place to work”, she stated. “There would be no DBS check if I wanted a 16-year-old to come work in my office on work experience – that makes me worried,” she said. In the preceding parliamentary term, employees reported to the BBC a “predatory” environment within the House of Commons, subsequent to numerous accusations of bullying and sexual harassment. White indicated that a DBS check could potentially identify abusive candidates and preclude them from working in close proximity to junior personnel. Notwithstanding her apprehensions, White clarified that her initiative was not motivated by the apprehension of an undisclosed abuser serving as an MP. The majority of MPs “are here for altruistic reasons”, she said. Jess Asato, a Labour MP, informed the BBC of her endorsement for White’s campaign, expressing hope that it would ignite a “wider debate” concerning the “complex area” of ensuring appropriate parliamentary representation. “I think there is a very clear revulsion at the idea that someone banned from working with children could hold public office,” she said. Asato noted that this sentiment must be weighed against the entitlement of rehabilitated or wrongly convicted persons to seek parliamentary election, and that DBS checks would contribute to delivering the “transparency we need”. Prior to her tenure as an MP, Asato served as an advocate for survivors of domestic abuse and has commended the conduct she has observed within Parliament. White’s initiative has garnered discreet backing from various political factions. An Early Day Motion – a request for a House of Commons debate without a scheduled date – introduced by White, advocating for DBS checks on MPs and peers, has received support from 14 MPs representing Labour, the Liberal Democrats, and independent affiliations. All four Green Party MPs, including co-leader Carla Denyer, also endorsed the motion, with Denyer characterizing the implementation of DBS checks for MPs as “an absolute no brainer”. Denyer personally funded her enhanced DBS checks, having required them for voluntary positions prior to her parliamentary service. She described them as a “sensible protection to safeguard constituents”. White has submitted her recommendations to the recently established Modernisation Committee, currently undertaking a comprehensive examination of House of Commons standards and operational procedures. Nevertheless, questions exist regarding the administration of such a system, specifically concerning the division of responsibility between political parties and Parliament, and the intended application of the collected data. The committee stated it would refrain from commenting on the submissions until it had sufficient opportunity to thoroughly evaluate all available alternatives. However, in October, Lucy Powell, the Commons Leader and chair of the committee, remarked that considerable effort was required to restore Parliament’s “tarnished” standing. The committee is scheduled to release an preliminary report on the proposals in the new year. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.