Press release: Intimidation of Parliamentary candidates: CSPL publishes terms of reference and calls for evidence

The independent Committee on Standards in Public Life has today published the terms of reference for its review on the intimidation of parliamentary candidates, MPs and other public office holders, and invited anyone with an interest to submit evidence.

The Committee was asked to look at this issue by the Prime Minister and has today opened the call for evidence for the review. The review will:

  • Examine the nature of the problem and consider whether measures already in place to address such behaviour are satisfactory to protect the integrity of public service; and whether such measures are (a) effective, especially given the rise of social media, and (b) enforceable;
  • Produce a report for the Prime Minister, including recommendations for action focused on what could be done in the short- and long-term and identifying examples of good practice.

The Committee will also consider the broader implications for other candidates for public office and other public office holders. The review will recognise the important role of legitimate scrutiny of those standing for public office by the public and the press.

The Committee has published its call for evidence, and invites submissions from anyone with an interest in these issues. The Committee will also be contacting campaigning organisations, political parties and social media companies to ask for their views on how best to address these issues.

Lord Bew, Chair of the Committee said:

The intimidation of candidates, MPs and other public office holders matters to everyone, not just those who have been subject to it. Public life and parliamentary democracy needs people from a diverse range of backgrounds to be willing to step forward. Abuse and intimidation cannot be acceptable within our political culture; we want to hear views on how to address this without stifling the robust debate or differences of opinion that are fundamental to our democracy.

The Committee will be considering all evidence we receive and intend to produce a report with recommendations before Christmas.

Notes to Editors

  1. Interview requests and media enquiries should go to Maggie O’Boyle on 07880 740627.
  2. The Committee on Standards in Public Life advises the Prime Minister on ethical standards across the whole of public life in the UK. It monitors and reports on issues relating to the standards of conduct of all public office holders.



News story: Prime Minister Reappoints National Heritage Memorial Fund/Heritage Lottery Fund (NHMF/HLF) Trustee

Perdita Hunt OBE, DL has been reappointed by the Prime Minister as a Trustee of NHMF/HLF for a term of three years, ending on 21 July 2020

Perdita was, until recently, Director of the Watts Gallery Trust where she spearheaded the restoration of Watts Gallery and the Watts Studios and created an Artists’ Village in the Surrey Hills. She is currently undertaking a number of projects in the arts and heritage sector. Perdita is a Tutor on The Recess College – a leadership programme for senior executives, Consultant for Leadership Insight, a Deputy Lieutenant for Surrey, member of Arts Council England’s South East Committee, Chairman of Surrey Hills Arts Advisory Committee and Trustee of the Baynards Zambia Trust. Perdita is also a member of the National Trust Advisory Committee on Acquisitions and Collections. Perdita is a trained arts administrator. She has worked in senior positions at the Arts Council, HLF and WWF-UK. Prior to this she worked as Theatre Projects Co-ordinator at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff, Marketing and Development Director at the Aldeburgh Foundation in Suffolk and Press Advisor to Suffolk Crafts Society.

The role is remunerated at £6,560 per annum. This reappointment has been made in accordance with the Cabinet Office’s Governance Code on Public Appointments. It is a requirement of the Code that political activity by those appointed is declared. Perdita Hunt has declared no such political activity.




News story: Explosion inside an equipment case, Guildford

At around 14:37 hrs on Friday 7 July, an explosion took place inside an under-floor equipment case on the 14:37 hrs Guildford to London Waterloo service, as the driver applied power to depart from Guildford station.

There were no reported injuries. However, debris, some quite sizable, was deposited on public platforms and the car park.

The train comprised two four-car class 455 units coupled together and the explosion took place under the third carriage of the leading unit.

Class 455 trains are undergoing a programme of retrofitting new traction equipment, which started in May 2016. The traction equipment involved was of the new design and the mechanism which caused the explosion was believed to be understood by the industry parties involved. Similar, smaller explosions, have occurred on at least two previous occasions where debris scatter was much more confined. The previous occurrences had been attributed to a manufacturing defect, leading to a build-up of explosive gas within the traction equipment. Industry parties were in the process of devising possible solutions to the problem at the time of the 7 July accident and are continuing to do so.

Since the immediate cause of this accident is already understood, our investigation will focus on:

  • the change management processes that were applied to the retrofitting programme
  • the response to the previous similar incidents
  • the adequacy of any risk control measures that had been implemented
  • any other relevant underlying management factors

Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or by the industry’s safety regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation. This report will be available on our website.

You can subscribe to automated emails notifying you when we publish our reports.




Notice: E & A C Messenger:application made to abstract water

The Environment Agency consult the public on certain applications for the abstraction and impoundment of water.

These notices explain:

  • what the application is about
  • which Environment Agency offices you can visit to see the application documents on the public register
  • when you need to comment by



Correspondence: The Faraday Challenge: advice from Sir Mark Walport

A letter from the Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Sir Mark Walport, to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), the Rt Hon Greg Clark MP. In the letter, Sir Mark evaluates the case for a new research institution to act as a focal point for work on battery technology, energy storage and grid technology. This evaluation was commissioned as part of the Industrial Strategy green paper.