Eustice keeps repeating complete inaccuracies. Independent Stds Commissioner investigates allegations of MP wrong-doing, Stds Cttee reviews evidence, MP can make representations (as OP did), take further evidence &if nec. send back to Commissioner. That IS an appeals process. Extraordinary a govt Minister so woefully misleading (a generous interpretation) about a rigorous system of holding MPs to account to standards in public life.
There is an appeals process, OP did give evidence, the character witness statements were considered.
More #Torysleaze

This week, the poor behaviour of Tory MPs is once again under scrutiny. This is good. In democracy, few things are more important than accountability of MPs. Without this everything else falls apart.

One way the Opposition scrutinises gov’t is in #BusinessQuestions. THREAD. As Shadow Leader of the House, I question the government on how they act in Parliament. This week it was mostly about corruption and procedures. I also ask about ministers’ promises on laws or their behaviour.

Shortages of food, fuel and essentials. Rising costs of food and energy. Taxes going up. People in #Bristol West are seriously worried about the future. So what would Labour do differently? THREAD The government lurches from crisis to crisis and has no plan to deal with problems as they pile up.

Take the shortage in lorry drivers, causing food and fuel shortages.

Today was my first opportunity to challenge the government as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons. The government controls most of the parliamentary timetable, so weekly Business Questions are an opportunity to scrutinise these decisions closely (THREAD). Up against my opposite number Jacob Rees Mogg, I first asked about the government’s attempts to restrict voting through their #VoterID proposals. This is a scandalous attack on democracy.

The #CladdingScandal is a story of broken Tory promises, pushing thousands into financial hardship and paralysing part of the housing market. As the #FireSafetyBill comes back to the Commons, here is a refresher of just a few of the government's broken promises so far (THREAD). Why does this matter? There are hundreds of thousands of leaseholders in the UK still living in buildings with unsafe cladding and other fire safety issues, almost four years after the Grenfell Tower disaster.

This morning's updated #Covid news will sobering. We need urgent action but also we didn't need to be here.
Weeks ago, Labour leader Keir saw the evidence and called for a short circuit breaker over half term to fix testing etc.
- Johnson ridiculed it
- Sunak blocked it. 2.
Now we face a much harder lockdown
- this Tory Govt were too slow to act, on health or on jobs
- people are suffering
- if move to greater restrictions govt needs to use time to fix testing and make a proper plan so they don’t keep repeating the same mistakes

Posting to reiterate my strong support for Labour's call on govt to implement circuit breakers with targetted financial support to prevent hardship and loss of jobs, rapid improvement to test&trace, better comms and more. Govt is refusing to heed call from own scientific advisors Meanwhile in Bristol our city council and public health leaders are doing their best with a very unsatisfactory level of support from national govt. Businesses, jobs, lives and livelihoods are at stake and without clear national govt leadership that's really difficult.

THREAD: 1. People in private rented homes are struggling and govt must act. government has paused evictions for three months and answered Labour’s call to increase the Local Housing Allowance. Both are welcome, but do not go far enough. 2. Jobs and livelihoods will take time to recover, and if evictions are allowed to restart before people can start earning again, we could see an unprecedented spike in homelessness. This is avoidable and govt needs to act.

News from UK-EU negotiations.
1. Likely to be postponed.
2. Gove admitd that security Agreement probably won't be done by end of year.
3. Likely services wouldn't be included in the trade deal.
4. This is all a long way from 'exact same benefits' the Theresa May govt promised. On 1, likely delay, that's because of Covid19, which is understandable. But that's exactly why we proposed amendment to Withdrawal Agreement Bill to give govt option of delaying, because of unforeseen events. Govt refused. This is dangerous, esp. if security Agreement not done.

During the campaign I met lots of people I've worked with or helped during the last 4 years but also realised lots of people don't know what an MP can (and can't) do in constituency or Westminster. I'll blog about this later in the week. For now, some examples of how I can help: If you're having problems and got stuck in a process with Universal Credit, Tax office, immigration service, benefits assessments, council or any other state agency - i. e. Public not private - my caseworkers and I may be able to advocate on your behalf and get it sorted.

THREAD to mark UN International day to #EndViolenceAgainstWomen which is today, 25th November, as per UN resolution 54/134. This is the date on which, in 1960, the Mirabal sisters, Dominican Republic activists, were murdered on the order of the Dominican Leader. 2. Why is International Day to #EndViolenceAgainstWomen women still needed? 49 countries have no laws against any violence in a marital/intimate relationship (also known as domestic abuse/violence). In 37, rapists escape prosecution if married to or eventually marry the victim

A few notes about Swedish law on rape & sexual assault: an alleged accused cannot be charged without being interviewed, which has to happen within five years (sexual assault) and ten (rape) of alleged offences. This is the statute of limitations. So if a hypothetical person refuses to make themselves available for interview about allegations against them, this can lead to the case being dropped. It does not prove either innocence or guilt, simply that the statute of limitations has applied and time has run out.

After two committees on Brexit-consequential regulations today (there are hundreds and I am whip for Health and Defra so am on a lot of them!) I am more concerned than ever about the threat of a 'No Deal Brexit' and the consequences of any Brexit. Food safety. Medicines. Medical devices. Protection of natural habitats. Water. Chemicals. These are just some of the regulations I have been on committees for in the last fortnight alone.. We keep getting told it is just a simple cut and paste from EU rules. It is not.

Thread re Prime Minister on #BBCtoday @BBCr4today re #EU just now: she got her catchphrase in early and followed the classic media training advice 'repeat, repeat, repeat'. 3 years ago it was 'Long-term economic plan', now it is 'when we leave the EU free movement will end' or 'when we leave the EU we will take back control of our money, our laws and our borders'. All of which is based on fallacy - claim of net out-flow of money has been demonstrated clearly many times, we elect our MEPs and the MPs who debate the EU regs and we have border controls

Anyone who missed the piece earlier on @BBCr4today about #refugees on #lesbos please know there are many thousands of people crammed in appalling conditions into a camp intended for 2000, violence, little sanitation, NGOs reporting conditions to authorities but nothing changes. In Cox's Bazaar #refugee camp in Bangladesh for #Rohingya people who have fled Myanmar there are nearly a million people living in 26 Sq. Km. reliefweb.int/report/banglad…