MPs to be banned from Parliament...

[Workingman]

... if they are accused and arrested for a serious crime, including violence or sexual assault.

This is a bit of a Curate's Egg legislation.

Everyone should feel safe in their place of work - everyone - that goes without saying. However, an arrest only starts a police investigation, it is not a charge, nor is it a guilty verdict, and there's the problem.

A lot of arrests end up with no charge being made and the accused is free to go, but the investigation to that point can take months, even years.

An MP banned from parliament cannot represent their constituents, which is what they were voted in to do, so should a ban lead to a by-election?

And what if the investigation is dropped and no charges are made? Is the by-election nullified and the original MP reinstated?

It all looks a bit messy, to say the least.

[Kaz]

Rushed law, with too many loose ends. This government excels in it.

[TheOstrich]

You can be arrested at the drop of a hat these days - it means nothing apart from you are being investigated.
Natural justice surely dictates you shouldn't be sanctioned in your workplace until you are proven guilty.

[Workingman]

What should worry everybody is that if your MP is arrested, rightly or wrongly. you would have no Parliamentary representation under the present system. For democracy to work that is wrong.

[Suff]

Jerk knee hit knackers....