Dear John,

This week, the Government was once again rocked with scandal as Boris Johnson tried to overturn the result of an independent investigation into the lobbying abuses of one of his MPs.

Owen Paterson MP had been served a 30-day suspension by the independent Standards Committee for "egregious" breaches of lobbying rules, after taking hundreds of thousands of pounds in consultancy fees from Randox and Lynn's Foods and repeatedly approaching ministers and officials to promote his paymaster's interests. During the pandemic, Randox won a £133m contract for Covid testing without any other firms being given chance to bid.

It is a fundamental point of principle that MPs are elected to Parliament, with all the power and influence that affords, to work in the interests of their constituents and the country. It is utterly wrong for MPs to misuse that position for personal financial gain. Owen Paterson should have apologised and taken his punishment.

Instead, Boris Johnson and the Tories took the shocking decision to scrap the Standards Committee and replace it with one run by one of their MPs, in order to try and overturn the decision.

As I pointed out, when a Conservative MP was found guilty of sexually harassing junior staff but got off lightly on a loophole, the Tories said the new rules couldn’t be applied retroactively. This week, when it came to cash for access, they said they can.

MPs should be held to the highest standards, and face consequences when they abuse their position.

Yet over and over again, this Government shows total contempt for the rules. Let’s not forget, they defended Dominic Cummings when he mocked the British people by breaking lockdown rules and handed billions of pounds of taxpayer money to their donors and friends during Covid-19.

I think most people look at what has happened this week and think that politics needs cleaning up —  so that is what a Labour government would do. We will:

• ban anyone who holds ministerial office from working for companies who want to write legislation in their own interests for five years
• Introduce a truly independent anti-corruption and anti-croynism commission, to ensure we never again see a situation where Tory MPs gorge their donors on billions of pounds of taxpayer money
• Establish a new Office of Value for Money to improve transparency around public spending and government contracts and ensure taxpayer money is treated with the respect it deserves
• NOT be taking part in the sham new standards system the Tories have set up

On Wednesday, I spoke in a debate on the deteriorating situation in Tigray, Ethiopia and Sudan.

The debate coincided with the announcement of a nationwide state of emergency in Ethiopia, and the release that morning of a damning joint report from the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Ethiopian National Human Rights Commission investigating atrocities between November 2020 and late June 2021. 

As our government cuts our development budget and weakens our alliances and influence, the situation in the East and Horn of Africa goes from bad to worse. Rape is being used as a weapon of war, and thousands are starving and dying in the crossfire of warring parties.

I called for a return to peaceful dialogue, full and immediate humanitarian access, and accountability for the atrocities with a full Human Rights Council investigation.

From my family to yours, I would like to wish everyone celebrating Bandi Chhor Divas and Diwali a very happy and auspicious occasion. As we light candles and divas in our homes, both occasions are a reminder of hope, peace and prosperity for all. 

For Sikhs, Bandi Chhor Divas marks the day when Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, the 6th Guru of the Sikhs, was released from imprisonment by the Emperor Jahangir.

In an act of self-sacrifice and solidarity, the Guru had refused to leave prison in the fort at Gwalior unless the 52 Rajas imprisoned there alongside him were freed as well.  

The Emperor was reluctant to release the Rajas and ordered only those who could hold on to the Guru’s robe could be released. But the Guru outwitted the Emperor by fashioning a special robe of 52 tails for the kings to hold.

Bandi Chorr Divas, the Day of Liberation, is a joyous celebration in the Sikh calendar, marked with the lighting of candles and readings of the Guru Granth Sahib.

I want to wish all of my Sikh, Hindu and Jain constituents good health, joy and peace at this special time of year. 

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