Behaviour of MPs stays in spotlight

PARLIAMENT has come "quite some way in recent years" in terms of behaviour and culture, the Leader of the House of Commons has said, but there are "definitely things... which we could go further on".

Cabinet minister Lucy Powell has told the Press Association that Westminster "definitely had a perception" of a poor working culture, but a new cohort of MPS presents an "opportunity to establish better working practices and better standards of culture and behaviour".

After July's General Election, a total of 335 new MPs arrived in Westminster, more than half of the 650 total bloc, including 214 for Labour.

In September, a new Commons modernisation committee set out that overhauling standards would be among its priorities, with MPs' second jobs also due under the spotlight.