UK may check new MPs’ criminal records — The Guardian

In the United Kingdom, newly elected MPs may be required to undergo criminal record checks before receiving a pass to work in parliament. The proposal could be included in a three-year plan to combat violence against women and girls, The Guardian reports.

White Ribbon accreditation

The UK Parliament is set to become the first legislature in the world to receive White Ribbon accreditation, an international movement that originated in Canada and advocates preventing violence against women. To receive the accreditation, parliament has committed to implementing a three-year change plan.

The cross-party campaign supporting the plan was led by Emily Darlington, the Labour MP for Milton Keynes Central. She was backed by Speaker of the House of Commons Lindsay Hoyle and parliamentary staff. Details of the programme have not yet been disclosed.

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The plan is expected to include training for bystanders to harassment, aimed at teaching them to recognise and respond to such incidents. High standards of conduct may also be introduced for MPs and members of the House of Lords.

Possible checks for new MPs

Political parties may be invited to join an agreement under which new MPs would undergo criminal record checks before receiving a parliamentary pass. The initiative is intended to make parliament a safer place to work and visit, as well as for women seeking election to it.

The article notes that parliament is regularly described as an environment plagued by sexism and harassment. According to a 2018 survey, nearly 20% of respondents in parliament had experienced or witnessed sexual harassment. A hotline for complaints about the culture dubbed “Pestminster” received hundreds of reports. A 2023 study also found that more than two-thirds of female MPs had witnessed sexist behaviour in parliament.