"Kemi Badenoch is using an arcane parliamentary procedure known as a humble address to try to compel the government to release documents relating to the appointment of Peter Mandelson as Britain's ambassador to the US. The Conservative leader's aim is to secure the release of documents including the due diligence work carried out by the Cabinet Office, and emails between Mandelson and Morgan McSweeney, an ally of the former peer who is now chief of staff at No 10."
"It is a motion sometimes tabled by the opposition on a day in the House of Commons allocated for the discussion of subjects chosen by non-government parties. Officially a petition to the monarch, which can be used as a way of extracting something from the government, it is used for reasons including calling for papers from departments headed by a secretary of state. It can be debated, amended and voted on like any other motion."
Kemi Badenoch has tabled a humble address to compel release of documents related to Peter Mandelson's appointment as Britain's ambassador to the US, seeking Cabinet Office due diligence and emails with Morgan McSweeney. A humble address is an official petition to the monarch that can call for papers from departments and be debated, amended and voted on like other motions. The government added an amendment to exclude papers prejudicial to national security or international relations. Humble addresses are understood to be binding if agreed. They have rare historical use but have been politically weaponised, including a 2017 concession to share confidential economic impact documents.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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