29/01/2019
There are a number of occupations in the UK that require professionals to pass a test of fitness and propriety; not just on commencement of the role, but on an annual basis thereafter.
At the moment, this does not appear to be the case for politicians. Not for our local councillors, our MEPs in Brussels or our Westminster MPs. This is quite staggering.
They hold great responsibility and, supposedly, serve the electorate. And yet, as it stands, there is insufficient testing of our politicians and no process for withdrawing their authority, automatically, if they show themselves unworthy of the trust placed in them.
I write this piece, having just learned that a serving MP has been jailed for three months after she lied to police over a speeding ticket. Fiona Onasanya, who was a solicitor prior to becoming an MP, had denied being behind the wheel when her car was spotted being driven at 41mph in a 30mph zone, in July 2017. Onasanya was elected as the Labour MP for Peterborough just six weeks before committing the offence.
Onasanya's brother, Festus, was jailed for 10 months for his involvement in the crime. Festus pleaded guilty to the same charge as his sister. In pleading guilty, he admitted having falsely filled out the Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) sent to his sister. Onasanya then made the decision to keep up the lie. She colluded with her brother to avoid being subject to the speeding ticket.
It has also been said that she was texting on her phone at the time of being caught speeding, greatly increasing the significance of the crime she lied about committing.
With a sentence of three months, the parliamentary rules don't require her to automatically lose her seat. Instead, she may face what is known as a 'Recall Petition'. This relates to the ability of residents to force a by-election, if the petition is signed by more than 10 per cent of the relevant electorate. However, Onasanya has lodged an application to appeal against her conviction and this means that the petition can't be opened until the appeal process is complete.
Onasanya had already been expelled from the Labour Party, due to the issue, and currently continues as an independent MP. In trying to call for sympathy, Christine Agnew QC said, "It's a very public fall from grace. She will inevitably be struck off as a solicitor." Quite why she should be considered 'fit and proper' to act as a Member of Parliament when she isn't thought to be suitable to continue as a solicitor, is beyond me.
The fact she has lodged an appeal, when her brother has already admitted guilt in relation to the same crime, would suggest she is still not willing to admit her guilt and show remorse for her actions.
Is this really someone who should be permitted to stand for public office?
Whilst not wishing to focus on persecuting this individual MP, I do think this should remind us that we have every right to expect those taking on roles such as councillor or Member of Parliament to adhere to a strict code of moral standards.
The crime of 'Misconduct in Public Office', carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Whilst this might be considered excessive for most failures; such as Onasanya's attempts to evade trial for her crime and maybe even the despicable crimes of the likes of Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage in deliberately misleading the British public ahead of the EU referendum, it is perhaps time that we started issuing realistic prison sentences to those politicians who have abused the position of trust afforded them.
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