Morley: Lawyers will decide if privilege used

SCUNTHORPE MP Elliot Morley is to let his lawyers decide whether Parliamentary privilege laws should keep his expenses case out of the criminal courts.

Legal representatives of Mr Morley and three other MPs charged with criminal offences relating to their expenses claims, said the issue should be resolved by the Parliamentary Commissioner and not the criminal courts.

This is because of the ancient law of Parliamentary privilege, which gives MPs and House of Lords protection from prosecution in matters relating to the proceedings of parliament.

Speaking exclusively to the Scunthorpe Telegraph, Mr Morley said he would 'not necessarily' be looking to use the right, which was enforced in the 1689 Bill of Rights, to avoid prosecution.

He said: "There is a lot of confusion about Parliamentary privilege and it is a complicated legal aspect.

"It is a matter for the lawyers, not me.

"In terms of our own case, it is not about trying to say we have immunity - there is no immunity for MPs and neither should there be.

"It is not about trying to avoid defending your position because I am very anxious to defend my position.

"It is about the correct procedure of how you make a case and who hears it and whether I have committed an offence at all, really."

For the full story, buy today's Scunthorpe Telegraph.