MP asked to justify 'political' blog
Complaint lodged against Mid Bedfordshire Conservative Nadine Dorries.
A complaint has been lodged against Mid Beds MP Nadine Dorries regarding the way she uses her website.
The allegation to the Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards centres around the Conservative MP's online blog.
Political activist and journalist Sunny Hundal claims Mrs Dorries has used the site to launch "a stream of personal attacks on and comments about members of other political parties".
According to parliamentary regulations, websites funded at taxpayers' expense are explicitly forbidden from party political activities or campaigning.
In a letter to the commissioner, Mr Hundal said: "Amongst the content published on the blog section of her website by Ms Dorries are both laudatory articles relating to members of her own party on matters entirely unrelated to their, or her, parliamentary duties, together with a stream of personal attacks on and comments about members of other political parties, the nature of which can only be construed as both party political in nature and, in some cases, clearly as campaign activity."
While regulations forbid campaigning on official websites, the Times & Citizen understands Mrs Dorries maintains her blog at her own expense.
However, Mr Hundal has claimed that "the use of the parliamentary portcullis logo implies that the blog is published by Ms Dorries in her official capacity as a Member of Parliament," and he suggests therefore it is subject to parliamentary regulations.
At present a formal investigation has not been launched by the Standards Commission. The commisioner has however requested a response from Mrs Dorries.
The MP said she was not permitted to comment on the matter in public while it is being looked into.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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