A cross-party group of MPs, led by Compassion in Politics and the More United Network, is readying a proposed code to enforce conduct in the Commons. According to the group, a new code of conduct could help bridge parliamentary divides and be a remedy to speech in the House potentially inciting hate or violence.
Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion, is one of those working on the new code, which the group hopes will be adopted this week.
“Boris Johnson and his team are pursuing a deliberate strategy of ratcheting up their rhetoric to falsely pit Parliament against the people because they think it might win them an election,” she said.
Recent behaviour by Commons MPs including prime minister Boris Johnson was stoking an environment where colleagues had received abuse and even death threats, she said.
“This is not normal,” Lucas said. “This is not leadership.
“I am working with colleagues across the House to use every avenue to put an end to the abuse, violent language and toxic rhetoric that is consuming our politics. A code of conduct to set out the rules of behaviour that are acceptable in the Commons is one positive step forward.”
The call comes just as 30 European MEPs have asked Boris Johnson to clarify whether he understands the link between violent language and violence against women in a 29 September letter to the Observer newspaper in the UK.
“Violence against women and girls is not ‘humbug’ and . . .
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