Unanswered questions

The House, naturally enough, was packed; I and several other Members had to sit on the cross benches at the back of the chamber.

The Speaker appeared very shaken; his voice faltered as he read, slowly and deliberately, from a prepared text.

It became clear that there had been a serial foul-up; the police had not obtained a warrant to search Damian’s Commons office (although they had apparently secured warrants to search his constituency office, his home and his Westminster flat) and the Serjeant at Arms had signed the authority consenting to the search without being told by the police that consent could be refused and without consulting the Clerk of the House.

And then the Speaker delivered what I and many colleagues considered a surprising attempt to distance himself from the whole depressing affair:

“I must make it clear to the House that I was not asked the question of whether consent should be given, or whether a warrant should have been insisted on. I did not personally authorise the search. It was later that evening that I was told that the search had gone ahead only on the basis of a consent form. I further regret that I was formally told by the police only yesterday, by letter from Assistant Commissioner Robert Quick, that the hon. Member was arrested on 27 November on suspicion of conspiring to commit misconduct in public office and on suspicion of aiding and abetting misconduct in public office.”

The fact is, however, that the Speaker is the highest authority in the House of Commons. He knew about the police action several hours in advance. Why did he not ask the Serjeant whether or not a warrant had been obtained? Why was a raid on the office of a Member allowed to proceed without, it would appear, even the most cursory inquiry on his part? No answer was offered to those very obvious questions.

In future, the Speaker informed us:

“A warrant will always be required when a search of a Member’s office, or access to a Member’s parliamentary papers, is sought. Every case must be referred for my personal decision, as it is my responsibility.”

Quite right; it is, and at all relevant times was, the Speaker’s ultimate responsibility. That is one of the reasons why so many Members are so deeply concerned by last Thursday’s events; their concern, regrettably, has not been dispelled by yesterday’s statement.