Clause 4 — Effect of ceasing to be a member

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 pm on 28 February 2014.

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Photo of Therese Coffey Therese Coffey Conservative, Suffolk Coastal 12:00, 28 February 2014

I oppose the amendments tabled by my hon. Friend Jacob Rees-Mogg, although I recognise the sentiments he expresses about undue campaigning and not allowing political advantage to be conferred on people who try to get selected to this place by virtue of their being a parliamentarian already.

I disagree with Thomas Docherty on the grounds that we already know of many Members of the European Parliament who have sought to come to this place having been very proactive in parts of their constituencies. I am thinking of a particular gentleman who is no longer a Member of this House but was very assiduous in parts of his region where he ultimately got selected as the candidate and was then elected to this House. My hon. Friend the Member for North East Somerset is right to highlight the issue, but I am concerned that he may have given the idea to our political parties, rather than dissuaded them. I do not think it is necessary to put it into legislation. If there is ever a case of the procedure being abused, that would be the appropriate point at which to revisit the issue, in another Parliament.