Home Secretary: Resignation and Reappointment Debate

Full Debate: Read Full Debate
Department: Cabinet Office

Home Secretary: Resignation and Reappointment

Tahir Ali Excerpts
Wednesday 26th October 2022

(2 years ago)

Commons Chamber
Read Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Jeremy Quin Portrait Jeremy Quin
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

I am not trying to present it in any way other than the known facts, as contained in the Home Secretary’s resignation letter, which set out that she had made a mistake and she apologised for it. The Prime Minister has clearly taken a view and the Home Secretary has returned to Government, and she has a task ahead of her.

Tahir Ali Portrait Tahir Ali (Birmingham, Hall Green) (Lab)
- View Speech - Hansard - -

Will the Minister confirm that under this Prime Minister—who knows how long he will be in office?—the ministerial code will be updated to say, “As long as you acknowledge and recognise your mistake, you can be reappointed immediately”?

Jeremy Quin Portrait Jeremy Quin
- View Speech - Hansard - - - Excerpts

The ministerial code was last updated in May, so I very much doubt that a further update is likely. The ministerial code makes it clear, after a recommendation from the Committee on Standards in Public Life, that it is not the case that every single breach should result in resignation or dismissal, but that appropriate measures need to be put in place, depending on the circumstances of each case.