Committee publication · Report · 9 July 2026

Dr Peter Prinsley - Written evidence

Summary

This written evidence pack documents the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards' investigation into Dr Peter Prinsley MP for alleged breaches of the Code of Conduct. The inquiry concerns a declaration of interest at the Home Affairs Select Committee (Rule 6) and disclosure of investigation details to the BBC without authorisation (Rule 13). The correspondence shows Prinsley initially gave a media interview disclosing the investigation, later explaining he was responding to inaccurate media reports. The Commissioner concluded the investigation and issued a rectification offer for the Rule 6 breach, with Prinsley accepting the findings as factually accurate.

Key findings

Prinsley made a BBC statement on 20 January 2026 disclosing details of an ongoing investigation without Commissioner authorisation, breaching Rule 13 of the Code of Conduct and paragraphs 117-123 of the Procedural Protocol
The investigation relates to Prinsley's failure to declare membership of Labour Friends of Israel at the Home Affairs Select Committee meeting on 1 December 2025 investigating the Maccabi Tel Aviv football match ban, instead declaring only that he was 'a Jewish MP'
Prinsley stated he was taken by surprise by unexpected BBC questioning about an inaccurate local newspaper article falsely claiming investigation related to property matters, prompting his explanatory interview
The Commissioner offered rectification in respect of the Rule 6 breach (failure to declare interest) and issued a draft memorandum on the Rule 13 breach (disclosure) to the Committee for determination
Prinsley confirmed the draft memorandum was factually accurate and required no redaction, accepting the Commissioner's findings

Tone

Procedural

Topics

parliamentary-conductcode-of-conductstandards-investigationdisclosure-requirementsmedia-relations

Key actors

Dr Peter Prinsley, Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Committee on Standards, BBC, Home Affairs Select Committee, Labour Friends of Israel, Bury Mercury, Independent Expert Panel

Notable line

“"Members must not disclose details in relation to: (i) any investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards except when required by law to do so, or authorised by the Commissioner …”

Key Quotes

“In addition to my inquiry into your declaration of interest at the Home Affairs Select Committee on 1 December 2025, I will also consider whether: 2 BBC News - Suffolk MP's declarations investigated again WRITTEN EVIDENCE PACK 5 • you have breached Rule 13 of the Code of Conduct by disclosing details …”
— Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards · Setting scope of investigation following BBC disclosure

“The question put to me came without warning, and I had no opportunity to seek advice beforehand. The interview had been arranged the previous day and was intended to focus solely on delays to the construction of a local hospital.”
— Dr Peter Prinsley · Explaining circumstances of BBC interview disclosure

“At the beginning of the inquiry, we were asked to declare any interest and I declared that I was a Jewish MP, which I thought was a sufficient declaration of interest.”
— Dr Peter Prinsley (to BBC) · Discussing initial declaration at Home Affairs Committee

“Although my inquiries are conducted in private, I will shortly publish on my webpages the fact that I am conducting an inquiry about your alleged breach of the Code of Conduct”
— Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards · Explaining publication of investigation initiation

“I accept that in this context I might perhaps have responded more cautiously and with greater restraint.”
— Dr Peter Prinsley · Reflecting on media interview approach

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗