Lewes MP apologises for ‘political’ letters to Newhaven residents

Lewes’ MP has apologised for using Parliamentary stationery to send a ‘political’ letter to Newhaven residents earlier this year.
Lewes MP Maria Caulfield in NewhavenLewes MP Maria Caulfield in Newhaven
Lewes MP Maria Caulfield in Newhaven

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards found that Maria Caulfield’s mailing to constituents, sent in May 2020, breached the code of conduct for members.

According to a report the MP has acknowledged and apologised for her breach of rules and has committed to repay the House for the stationery (paper and envelopes) and postage she used.

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The letter was highlighting East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service proposals then under public consultation and specifically cuts to cover in Newhaven.

Amongst other things it urged respondents to write to two Lib Dem members of the East Sussex Fire Authority ‘asking them to change their minds and vote against these proposals’.

The commissioner’s report noted that the letter contained Ms Caulfield’s personal opinions and although it would have been within the rules to let constituents know about the issue, this would have to be in an ‘entirely balanced and factual way’.

To avoid this being seen as political the letter should not have referenced the two Lib Dem fire authority members for the constituents to write to.

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Responding to the ruling this week, Ms Caulfield said: “A complaint was made against me by a local councillor who was concerned that I specifically wrote to residents in Newhaven to highlight the fact that the Lib Dems were planning to vote to cut the local fire service in Newhaven.

“I have apologised for being political in my communications with residents but thanks to the efforts of the local community in Newhaven, in responding to my letter, the local fire authority cancelled its plans to cut fire services in Newhaven.”

In her initial response to the commissioner, the MP said she did not consider writing it on Conservative Party paper as she was working with Labour MP for Peacehaven Lloyd Russell-Moyle on the issue.

She did not see the letter as ‘political in nature’ as it was highlighting a decision of a Conservative run fire authority, with the Tory chair ‘furious’ with her for working with a Labour MP and is ‘still barely speaking to me’.

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In subsequent correspondence with the commissioner she acknowledges the point on words and it could have been ‘phrased better’.

She would be more cautious on sending out any future letters and was ‘sorry if this came across as political it was a genuine attempt to show residents how we were working across party lines and that by working together we can successfully deliver for the town’.

During the investigation, Ms Caulfield was told off by the commissioner for discussing it via text with the leader of the local Green party as the original complaint came from a Green councillor.

Such inquiries are meant to be confidential until they have concluded.

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The Lib Dems named in the mailing have called for an apology and also questioned Ms Caulfield’s assertion to the commissioner that she only wrote to residents in Newhaven as ‘it was the only town affected by the changes’ in her constituency.

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson, James MacCleary, who represents Newhaven on the district and town councils, pointed out that Seaford, Lewes and Barcombe were also due to be affected by the proposals.

Carolyn Lambert, who represents Seaford and is vice chair of East Sussex Fire Authority, said she was ‘pleased’ the commissioner has made this finding and claimed the MP had repeatedly made inaccurate comments about Lib Dem members on the fire authority.

She said they were still waiting to hear when they can expect funding from government to reverse years of cuts to funding for fire services across the country, including East Sussex.

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