by LOUISE NOUSRATPOUR (Exclusive)
Monday November 9, 2008
The Morning Star
LABOUR MP Alan Simpson exposed government plans to ban rebel MPs from joining a select committee on climate change on Sunday, branding the decision a "lurch to kiss-arse politics."
The select committee on the new climate change legislation which was passed last month will have a duty to hold the government to account.
But Mr Simpson, who is a longstanding environmental campaigner, revealed that the Chief Whip is planning to ban MPs who have voted against the government on any issues in the past year from joining the committee.
MPs were told about this possible rule change at last Monday's Parliamentary Labour Party meeting, he said.
The change would affect all left MPs, including Mr Simpson, John McDonnell, Jeremy Corbyn, Ian Gibson, Austin Mitchell and Katy Clarke, as well as some of the more unusual suspects such as David Winnick, Emily Thornberry and Chris Mullin, who all voted against the government's 42-day pre-charge detention plans.
Mr Simpson condemned the "anti-democratic" plans and hoped that the Chief Whip would rethink the position when the PLP meets again tonight.
"A committee that has the duty to hold the government to account will not have MPs on them who have exercised that duty," he warned.
"At a time when US president-elect Barack Obama is swept to power on a mantra of 'Yes, we can,' Downing Street is swiping the tide out on the mantra of 'no you can't'."
"Instead of lurching into openness, the government is gagging its way into the future."
Fellow MP Jeremy Corbyn also attacked the Chief Whip's "narrow-minded" plans, noting that he had been a victim of such tactics only last year.
"I was blocked from being elected onto the select committee on human rights last year for no apparent reason," he recalled.
Mr Corbyn added: "Alan Simpson is an expert on Europe, the environment and climate change issues. This narrow-minded behaviour deprives the public of the enormous knowledge of certain individuals and is damaging to the whole political system.
"Parliament is there for MPs to hold the government to account and, if necessary, speak out against proposed laws. It would be a sad day if they were no longer allowed to hold an independent view."
Green Party spokeswoman for environment, food and rural affairs Penny Kemp called the plans "scandalous," accusing the government of working against public opinion to push through its own "authoritarian agenda."
She added: "This is absolutely outrageous and goes against anything that democratic accountability should stand for.
"It will also stop MPs that have the necessary expertise in particular fields but do not agree with the government from standing up and speaking in our name."
In May, Prime Minister Gordon Brown suffered his biggest Commons rebellion since taking office, when 38 Labour MPs - half of his majority - voted for Mr Simpson's amendment to the Energy Bill that would have encouraged the switch to renewable technologies.
Although the amendment was not successful, it drew widespread public and cross-party support.
In June, 24 Labour MPs rebelled against the government by voting for an amendment to the Planning Reform Bill to include a duty to consider climate change when planning major infrastructure projects such as roads and airports.
That motion was defeated by a majority of just 15 and the Bill will now contain no legal duties to reduce climate change.
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