Suspended Members of Parliament, Rwandan Relations

 Suspended Tory MP Mark Menzies has joined what is now the fourth biggest grouping in the Commons - MPs suspended from their parties over alleged wrongdoing, who have overtaken the Liberal Democrats, with 18 MPs to the Lib Dems' 15.

This rag-tag gang of Independents range from diehard socialist Dianne Abbot to far-right conspiracy theorist Andrew Bridgen.

The Houses of Parliament, London
Jean Joseph Benjamin Constant (1845-1902)
Photo Credit: Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum [CC BY-NC-ND] 

At least six of them face sexual misconduct allegations, while five allegedly made offensive or racist comments. Six more face claims of, er, unparliamentary behaviour - from William Wragg handing colleagues' phone numbers to a blackmailer, to Claudia Webbe who was convicted of harassment, to Matt Hancock who was guilty of going on I'm a Celeb without permission. Still, there is one poll the Tories are winning: eight of the 18 are ex-Tories, seven are ex-Labourites!

(Private Eye, No 1622)

Rwandan Relations

"We're lucky our deputy foreign secretary Andrew has a very longstanding relationship with the Rwandans and the Rwandan government," said Rishi Sunak as he defended his forced removal policy to a press conference ahead of this week's Commons votes.

The Burning of the Houses of Parliament
unknown artist
Photo Credit: Yale Center for British Art [Public Domain]

The minister in question, Andrew Mitchell, certainly does have friends in the country. Until returning to government with Sunak's leadership victory, Mitchell earned a handy £39,600 a year (for nine days' work) from Rwanda-based investment bank, Southbridge and was guest of Paul Kagame's government ay Kigali investment conferences. Southbridge counts among its managing partners a former finance minister in the Kagame government and other well-connected executives. Just the kind of objective minister asylum seekers need to ensure the Rwandan regime abides by the promised high standards!

(Private Eye, No 1622)