MPs who have withdrawn from the Commons Chamber or who have been suspended

This note lists MPs who have left the Chamber voluntarily, been asked to withdraw, or who have been suspended. There are two main avenues which may lead to the suspension of a Member. The first is for misbehaviour in the chamber. The second is where a Member has been found to have broken the Code of Conduct for Members or committed a contempt of Parliament.

The Speaker is responsible for keeping order in the Chamber and in Committees and if Members disregard the authority of the Chair, he can ask the Member to voluntarily leave the Chamber for the remainder of the day’s sitting. This request is not governed by Standing Orders and the MP can stay on the parliamentary estate and take part in Divisions. Should the Member refuse to comply with this request the Speaker can invoke SO No. 43:

43. The Speaker, or the chair, shall order any Member or Members whose conduct is grossly disorderly to withdraw immediately from the House during the remainder of that day’s sitting; and the Serjeant at Arms shall act on such orders as he may receive from the chair in pursuance of this order. But if on any occasion the Speaker, or the chair, deems that his powers under the previous provisions of this order are inadequate, he may name such Member or Members, in which event the same procedure shall be followed as is prescribed by Standing Order No. 44 (Order in debate).

This requires the Member to leave the parliamentary estate for the remainder of that day’s sitting. If this order is disregarded, the MP can be named under SO No. 44:

• —(1) Whenever a Member shall have been named by the Speaker, or by the chair, immediately after the commission of the offence of disregarding the authority of the chair, or of persistently and wilfully obstructing the business of the House by abusing the rules of the House or otherwise, then if the offence has been committed by such Member in the House, the Speaker shall forthwith put the question, on a motion being made, ‘That such Member be suspended from the service of the House.’

Where a Member is found to have broken the Code of Conduct or committed a contempt, the Standards Committee (previously the Standards and Privileges Committee) may recommend a period of suspension, which leads to a motion in the House. See Commons Library Briefings Papers Disciplinary and Penal Powers of the House of Commons, and Recall elections for more information.

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