EXCL Brexit and Twitter blamed as complaints against MPs nearly triple in a year
2 min read
Complaints against MPs by members of the public have nearly tripled in the past 12 months, it has been revealed.
The latest report by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Kathryn Stone, showed 2,456 complaints were submitted in 2018/19. That compares to 889 the year before.
She blamed the rise of social media, as well as the Brexit debate, for the dramatic increase.
"MPs and others would be well to bear in mind that while it is quick to post material on social media, but the repercussions can be long-lasting," she said.
"These things have the potential to damage the reputation of MPs and of Parliament more generally."
She warned MPs against “hasty remarks” on Twitter that go viral and generate a "large-scale response" to her office.
The Commissioner's annual report, which was published last month, contained demands from some members of the public for Parliament to be dissolved and to “prosecute MPs as traitors”.
Ms Stone said: “The controversy about Brexit has given rise to many of the emails and phone calls we have received during the year.
“Members of the public have emailed and called us about different aspects of the campaigns leading to the June 2016 vote, particularly the use made of statistics, and about their dissatisfaction with actions of government and its ministers since then.
“None of these are issues I can look into. Nor can I dissolve Parliament or prosecute MPs as traitors, two of the more extreme remedies which have been proposed to me.”
The Commissioner also drew attention to an “unusually” large number of people with mental health conditions who had contacted her office, some being complainants, witnesses, “persistent callers” and even some MPs.
She added: “This is not surprising; others have commented on how vulnerable those in public life can be to fragile mental health.
“If this was in any doubt our recent experience bears it out.”
However, the Commissioner said there had been “no more than ten” complaints following the establishment of body to investigate allegations of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct in Parliament.
The Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme was set up in July 2018.
Ms Stone said staff and others had been slow to gain confidence in using the scheme, and urged the Commons to improve measures aimed at ensuring the confidentiality of those who make complaints.
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