Probe into UK politicians’ free trips to north

The UK Parliament’s Standards Commissioner has received a letter urging them to investigate possible lobbying rules breaches by five British MPs and peers who failed to declare fully paid trips to the north of Cyprus, before submitting questions to ministers in support of north.

The relegation of the possible breaches came after an investigation by the Irish investigative journalist Peter Geogheghan, well known for his book Democracy for Sale.

The accusation against the five parliamentarians and the letter have come from Ian Blackford, former leader of the SNP at Westminster who currently is a member of the Committee on Standards on Public Life.

The three MPs and two members of the House of Lords are accused that they failed to declare an interest and the freebie trips to the occupied part of Cyprus, before asking questions about direct trade, investment and flights from the UK.

The declaration of such relevant interests before a parliamentary question is asked is stipulated in the MPs’ and Lords’ code of conduct.

Speaking to the journalist, the Scottish politician said that failure to do that is “the exact opposite… of the integrity and honesty” expected by parliamentarians.

Blakcford also noted that these trips were to “a territory that lacks legitimacy.”