Labour's Matt Western has been asked to correct a "false statement" that he made in the House of Commons this week.
Mr Western claimed that the Countryside Alliance provided "financial support" to the police and crime commissioner - a claim the Countryside Alliance strongly deny.
Here is Chief Executive Tim Bonner's letter to Matt Western:
Matt Western MP
House of Commons
London
SW1A 0AA
Dear Mr Western,
Countryside Alliance
22 October 2024
I am writing with concern about the false comment you made in the House of Commons yesterday (Monday 21 October) about the relationship between the Countryside Alliance and the Police and Crime Commissioner for Warwickshire. The remark was recorded in Hansard as follows:
"It is almost two years since Warwickshire police issued a community protection notice against Warwickshire hunt. Eight months later, it was mysteriously replaced by a secret protocol. The police and crime commissioner, who receives financial support from the Countryside Alliance, claims that he knew nothing of the protocol."
As a charity, the Countryside Alliance has not, does not and will not provide financial support to any candidate for any political office. Your baseless and false statement has been repeated in the media, causing significant reputational harm. We cannot allow such false assertions to go unchallenged
I recognise that you made the remark under parliamentary privilege but I regard it as a clear abuse of that privilege as it is untrue. I must therefore ask that, at your next available opportunity, you correct the record by means of a Point of Order. Otherwise, I will have to draw this misuse of privilege to the attention of the Speaker. Failing that, I invite you to repeat your assertion outside the House of Commons so that our legal team can begin taking the appropriate action.
Yours sincerely,
Tim Bonner
Chief Executive
https://twitter.com/CAupdates/status/1848776406416736471
Matt Western MP posted his House of Commons appearance to X.
Matt Western said:
Mister speaker, it's almost 2 years since, Warwickshire Police issued a CPN against Warwickshire Hunt. Eight months later, it was mysteriously replaced by a secret protocol. The police crime commissioner who receives financial support from the Countryside Alliance claims that he knew nothing of the protocol. The chief constable refused to give me a copy, and now she's resigned, claiming retirement. Trust in the PCC and the leadership of Warwickshire Police has been seriously damaged.
So will she meet with me to discuss the need for a truly independent inquiry as opposed to the sham one being undertaken by the PCC?
-- Matt Western MP, 21st October 2024
https://twitter.com/MattWestern_/status/1848376819319452058
