Corruption is a Crime

The Government has killed off the Corruption Bill without any debate in the House of Commons. The Bill aimed to tighten to rules on British companies operating abroad, and was necessary to meet treaty obligations to fight corruption and bribery.

The Corruption Bill was introduced by Lord Chidgey and passed successfully through all of its legislative stages in the House of Lords, but the deadline has now passed for it to be given time in the House of Commons.

David Heath MP, the Liberal Democrats’ Shadow Justice Minister, strongly criticised the Labour Government’s failure to allow the Bill to be debated.

“It is a constitutional outrage that a bill passed by one House has not been given a second of parliamentary time in the Commons. It shows a complete lack of respect for the upper house.

“This Bill would form a key part of what ought to be the British Government’s legal protections against corrupt practices. It incorporates changes which are not only necessary for Britain to comply with its international obligations but also covers areas which Hilary Benn, when he was responsible for anti-corruption measures, said were important and urgent.

“Not to proceed with anti-corruption legislation is part of an emerging picture which, taken with the shameful decision to discontinue investigating BAE’s Al Yamamah deal with Saudi Arabia, smacks of indifference at best or complicity at worst with dodgy dealing by British firms abroad.”