Former minister reported to police
By Ian Dunt
Labour’s former Europe minister, Denis MacShane, has been reported to the police.
A statement from the Standards and Privileges Committee today read: “At its meeting on 12 October, the Committee agreed that the parliamentary commissioner for standards should report to the Metropolitan Police Service the conduct of the Rt hon member for Rotherham, Mr Denis MacShane.
“In accordance with procedures agreed in 2008 between the Committee on Standards and Privileges, the parliamentary commissioner for standards and the Metropolitan Police, the commissioner’s inquiry into a complaint against Mr MacShane will be suspended until the question of possible criminal proceedings has been resolved.”
Within moments of the announcement the Labour party had withdrawn the whip from Mr MacShane.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Following a referral by the parliamentary commissioner for standards to the Met Police Service, the Labour party has today suspended Denis MacShane from the parliamentary Labour party and the whip pending the outcome of any investigation.”
Mr MacShane said: “I have been informed by the parliamentary commissioner for standards that he has written to the Metropolitan police in connection with his inquiry into a complaint against me filed in June 2009.
“While I obviously regret this development I will of course co-operate fully with the police as I have with the commissioner. I will make no further comment.”
Mr MacShane has been MP for Rotherham since 1994 and served as Europe minister between 2002 until 2005.
It is strongly suspected that the decision relates to his expenses claims, which included £20,000 a year for an office based in the garage of his South Yorkshire home.
