Chris Bryant Profile picture
Labour MP for the Rhondda (01443 442521) Shadow Minister for Creative Industries and Digital JAMES AND JOHN out now
Dame Chris🌟🇺🇦😷 #RejoinEU #FBPE #GTTO🔶️ Profile picture Charlie Helps FRSA ⚛️❣️💙🖤🤍 Profile picture Alan Turner 💙🇺🇦 Profile picture Geoff Brewer #FBPE #FBR #FBNHS 💙 #TrueAndFair Profile picture 4 subscribed
Feb 21 7 tweets 2 min read
A short thread about today. The original motion and all the amendments were about the situation in Gaza. It is unusual on an opposition day, when an opposition party chooses the subject for debate, to have so many amendments. Opposition parties have an occasion tabled amendments to another opposition party motion. The Conservative party did so in opposition on 13th of May 1999, amending a liberal Democrat motion. Some Tory MPs who voted today voted on that motion in 1999.
Oct 16, 2023 5 tweets 1 min read
🧵 A few thoughts about the IEP report on Peter Bone and his suspension for six weeks.
When I started writing Code of Conduct I thought this the worst parliament in history because 19 MPs had been suspended for a day or more or resigned before a critical report appeared When I handed in the text it stood at 20. At publication it was 22. It is now 24.
On the one hand it is good that behaviour that was once swept under the carpet - especially bullying and sexual harassment - is now dealt with more robustly.
But I am struck by four things:
Dec 11, 2022 9 tweets 2 min read
🧵 1/9 On Monday 12/12, the Commons will debate Standards Committee’s draft new Code of Conduct for MPs, which tightens and clarifies the rules. The Govt objects to 2 recommendations, so I have tabled 2 amendments. 1. In supporting the Nolan Principles of Conduct in Public Life, 2/9 (selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, leadership) we consulted on a set of specific descriptors of how these should apply to MPs. We interpret selflessness, for instance: 'MPs should act solely in the public interest. They should ensure
Sep 23, 2022 6 tweets 1 min read
1. The energy bill help should have come at least four months ago. It still leaves household energy costs double what they were.
2. Businesses and local authorities only have six months security. They’re making decisions now for next April.
3. Food inflation is still rising faster than wages, especially in public sector.
4. The chancellor is increasing borrowing by £72.4bn to pay for borrowing, the cost of which is rising.
6. At least a proportion of that should be paid by a tax on windfall oil and gas profits rather than working families
Sep 8, 2022 5 tweets 1 min read
Let's stop the childish nonsense.
1. Stopping the energy price hike is vital, it should have been done earlier and will be very expensive.
2. Someone has to pay. Some of that must come from windfall tax(es) on windfall profits of Gas/oil. Some on borrowing. 3. Truss says none from tax(es) - and wants to load more on borrowing to give tax handouts to big business.
4. Labour rightly wants oil and gas companies and others to pay their fair share.
5. Truss says let's frack away.
6. Fracking and NSea oil/gas will not change energy bills
Sep 2, 2022 7 tweets 2 min read
You would have thought that @BorisJohnson would want to clear his name in front of the Privileges Committee instead of trying to intimidate it. Lord Pannick’s bizarre ‘opinion’ has no formal status and is wrong on several counts. Firstly, he fails to mention that the motion that charged the Committee makes no mention of ‘intentionally misleading’. Nor does he acknowledge that many aspect of Standards processes have changed over the years, including the introduction of the right of ministers to correct the record through a Written
Jun 30, 2022 8 tweets 2 min read
The Foreign Affairs Committee has been far more clear sighted than Government over Russia.
Our Moscow’s Gold report warned them in 2018. Today we publish a new report.
Ministers’ complacency over “morally bankrupt billionaires using the UK as a safe deposit box” has led to “assets laundered through the UK … financing President Putin’s war in Ukraine”.
“The government’s unwillingness to bring forward legislation to stem the flow of dirty money is likely to have contributed to the belief in Russia that the UK is a safe haven for corrupt wealth.”
May 24, 2022 8 tweets 2 min read
The international withdrawal from Afghanistan has been a disaster in terms of planning, execution, and consequences for the UK’s wider interests. It was a betrayal of our partners in the country and, worst of all, undermined the security of the United Kingdom by encouraging our enemies to act against us.
It might be convenient to blame FCDO officials or military intelligence for these failures, but ministers should have been driving this policy. The fact that the Foreign Office’s senior leaders were on holiday when Kabul fell marks a
May 1, 2022 8 tweets 2 min read
Parliamentary Standards and employment - another thread.

I have long supported changes to the employment rules in parliament and tried to introduce a change in 2008, which inspired fury from many MPs. So I support Mr Speaker’s call today. Obviously any change would require all party agreement and support from staff and unions.

But the government only last week opposed mandatory standards training for MPs.

And while a new beefed up HR department with mandatory training would definitely improve working conditions and root out some bad behaviour
Apr 30, 2022 8 tweets 2 min read
Standards and Parliament. A thread.

Parliament is no different from anywhere else. It should be a safe working environment for everyone, MPs, clerks, researchers, cleaners, visitors. Any allegations of bullying and sexual misconduct have to be taken seriously. I’m glad we have an Independent complaints and grievance scheme, which guarantees anonymity and confidentiality for people who want to make claims. It’s an essential part of changing the culture in Parliament. We also need clear rules and a code of conduct that are properly
Apr 13, 2022 6 tweets 2 min read
I’ve been asked (including by Tories) what the Standards Committee which I chair could or couldn’t do re #partygate. Under standing orders we only proceed if the independent parliamentary commissioner for standards has launched an investigation and found a breach of the rules. She then sends a memorandum to the committee. We consider it and ask the member for comments in writing or in person. If we uphold the commissioner’s view we propose a sanction which has to be tabled by the government and voted on by the House. Witness, the Paterson case.
Apr 10, 2022 8 tweets 2 min read
I’ve been thinking about the PM visit to Kyiv.
First, some praise. I’m glad he went. I’m glad 🇬🇧 is standing with 🇺🇦 and providing military equipment. I hope we can and will do more.
Now the buts.
1. The uk was woefully ill-prepared both in terms of sanctions legislation which the FCDO knew was not fit for purpose from at least 2019. We ended up being slow and requiring emergency legislation AFTER the invasion which we were predicting last October.
2. The government’s refusal to act on dodgy Russian money and the findings of the Russia Report
Mar 31, 2022 6 tweets 1 min read
I used to be a priest in the Church of England, and youth chaplain for the diocese of Peterborough. I was going through my own spiritual journey, understanding or coming to terms with my sexuality, but what really frightened me was when I saw Christians, priests, pastors missionaries and ordinary Christians latch on to a young person and fill them with self-hatred because of their sexuality. The damage done was immense. Guilt, shame and self loathing can last a lifetime and ruin many other lives en route.
Feb 12, 2022 9 tweets 2 min read
The Tories got the relationship with Russia wrong from the moment Cameron arrived in Downing Street. They wanted to do more business with Russia because it was a BRIC economy and they wanted to press the reset button. Some of us warned that after the murder of Litvinenko this was a fool’s errand because Putin respects strength not compromise. I warned repeatedly about his territorial ambitions and the difficulty for uk businesses trading in manifestly corrupt Russia. But Tories told me I was wrong and organised with the Russian embassy to
Sep 3, 2021 5 tweets 1 min read
We know:
* UK government half expected a rapid collapse of Afghan forces as early as April.
* They were explicitly warned about it in July.
* MoD wanted to escalate evacuation.
* PM and FS refused.
* They only changed travel advice on 6 Aug.
* FS went on holiday on 8 Aug. 1/5 * The Government failed to put together a list of UK nationals and those who stood by us who would/might need evacuation.
* Home Sec failed to put in place resettlement plans.
* The government ran 3 schemes for evacuation/resettlement in 3 departments, causing further chaos. 2/5
May 28, 2020 4 tweets 1 min read
What an unmitigated mess. Govt summons parliament for Tuesday 2 June and lets remote voting and hybrid sessions lapse. It insists 650 MPs vote through narrow lobbies in 15 minutes without checking that this is COVID compliant. Public Health England declare the lobbies unsafe 1/4 The govt dreams up another scheme - we all join a 1.3k queue to vote. Public Health England says this is no better. But Govt has tabled the highly controversial Gerrymandering Parliamentary Constituencies Bill for Tuesday with votes at 10pm. So now... 2/4