David Maddox: The Peter Baker affair
Much has been written about the three Labour MPs, including Livingston MP Jim Devine, and the Tory Peer up in court this morning for alleged fraud.
But, it is perhaps not surprising that this is not the first time this has happened.
Of course before the 1832 Reform Act and the abolition of rotten boroughs fraud and corruption were part of the job description of an MP, but what is more surprising is that it has only happened once before since the Second World War, given the recent history of people like Jonathan Aitken and Lord Geoffrey Archer.
The previous miscreant was an MP from the part of the world I originally hail from.
When Peter Baker was elected aged 28 in 1950 as the Conservative MP South Norfolk he was the youngest MP and the "baby of the house." As such he seemed to have a bright future in front of him.
He was re-elected in 1951, but soon after he was facing questions over his business dealings. In 1954 he was convicted of forgery including writing false signatures, and fraud and sent down for seven years.
Then on 16 December 1954 he became the last MP to be expelled from parliament.
Some may think that recent events suggest others should have followed him but as MPs seem to be good and protecting their own, and of course the three accused will not be standing for re-election on 6 May, Baker will remain as the last MP to suffer this indignity.
The only other two MPs to be expelled in the 20th century were Gary Allighan, the Labour MP for Gravesend and Horatio Bottomley, the Liberal MP for Hackney South.
Mr Allighan was elected in the 1945 Labour landslide, expelled in 1947 for leaking details of private meetings to the press. He was a journalist before becoming an MP and his misdemeanour now seems to be the norm among many politicians.
Mr Bottomley was elected in 1906 and relected in 1910, but then thrown out for bankruptcy in 1912. He then managed to get re-elected in 1918, found a party called the People's League, but was then convicted of fraud in 1922 and expelled again as an MP.
But, it is perhaps not surprising that this is not the first time this has happened.
Of course before the 1832 Reform Act and the abolition of rotten boroughs fraud and corruption were part of the job description of an MP, but what is more surprising is that it has only happened once before since the Second World War, given the recent history of people like Jonathan Aitken and Lord Geoffrey Archer.
The previous miscreant was an MP from the part of the world I originally hail from.
When Peter Baker was elected aged 28 in 1950 as the Conservative MP South Norfolk he was the youngest MP and the "baby of the house." As such he seemed to have a bright future in front of him.
He was re-elected in 1951, but soon after he was facing questions over his business dealings. In 1954 he was convicted of forgery including writing false signatures, and fraud and sent down for seven years.
Then on 16 December 1954 he became the last MP to be expelled from parliament.
Some may think that recent events suggest others should have followed him but as MPs seem to be good and protecting their own, and of course the three accused will not be standing for re-election on 6 May, Baker will remain as the last MP to suffer this indignity.
The only other two MPs to be expelled in the 20th century were Gary Allighan, the Labour MP for Gravesend and Horatio Bottomley, the Liberal MP for Hackney South.
Mr Allighan was elected in the 1945 Labour landslide, expelled in 1947 for leaking details of private meetings to the press. He was a journalist before becoming an MP and his misdemeanour now seems to be the norm among many politicians.
Mr Bottomley was elected in 1906 and relected in 1910, but then thrown out for bankruptcy in 1912. He then managed to get re-elected in 1918, found a party called the People's League, but was then convicted of fraud in 1922 and expelled again as an MP.
Labels: David Maddox, expelled MPs, fraud, Gasry Allighan, Horatio Bottomley, Jim Devine, Peter Baker
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