Simon Hart has published a book detailing diary extracts which reveal his experiences working with a variety of MPs in Westminster
Calls have been made to strip an ex-chief whip of his peerage after he published a tell-all book documenting his diary entries while in office. Simon Hart’s book titled Ungovernable: The Political Diaries of a Chief Whip, details stories of Mr Hart’s time in Westminster from his perspective.
He recounts his experiences in the whip’s office including revealing one MP rang him after he found himself “stuck in a brothel”.
Other equally embarrassing details are recorded by Mr Hart in the book and now some Tory MPs and ex-Tory MPs have told the BBC they do not agree Mr Hart should have been recognised as a peer in the House of Lords.
Mr Hart – former MP for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire – was named in Rishi Sunak’s resignation honours list having been a close ally to the former Prime Minister. Several other ex-MPs were also named in the honours list including Michael Gove.
Reacting to the news of Mr Hart’s peerage, former defence minister Sir Alec Shelbrooke told the BBC the decision set a troubling precedent.
“If [MPs] don’t feel they can trust the whips the system will break down in parliament,” he said. “They do these stupid things under pressure, if they don’t feel they can talk to anybody there can be serious consequences.”
Sir Alec said he had written to the House of Lords Appointment Commission to ask for Mr Hart’s peerage to be blocked on the basis he’d allegedly breached the Nolan principles which sets out principles MPs should abide by in public life. They include integrity, openness and honesty.
According to the BBC Sir Alec’s letter reads: “The book has its amusing parts but so would stories from a GP. If they wrote up stories the trust would be gone. He has broken a bond of trust and undermined the whole system of what is effectively the only HR department.”
The House of Lords Appointment Commission said it did not comment on individuals and the suitability of those considered for a peerage is a matter for the nominating party. Former Tory MP Kevin Foster said Mr Sunak’s honours list was a “list of Sunak’s mates”.
Mr Hart, who doesn’t name the MPs he discusses in the book, hasn’t responded to the calls for his peerage to be stripped from him. Mr Sunak also hasn’t commented. Pan Macmillan, Mr Hart’s publisher, declined to comment. For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here