MP Field faces inquiry to see if he broke party rules

Feb 5 2008 by Rob Merrick, Liverpool Daily Post

REBEL Mersey MP Frank Field faces an inquiry tomorrow that could trigger his suspension from the Labour party for backing a referendum on the EU Treaty.

The Birkenhead MP will be investigated by Labour's parliamentary committee – made up of senior backbenchers – to decide if he has broken the party's rules.

It will report back to chief whip Geoff Hoon, who last week gave Mr Field and three fellow Eurosceptics a furious dressing down.

However, last night, Mr Field showed no sign of backtracking over his refusal to accept Gordon Brown's decision that parliament – rather than the public – will ratify the treaty. He argues that flies in the face of Labour's manifesto pledge to stage a national ballot.

Mr Field told the Daily Post: "They have every right to take the matter to the parliamentary committee and nothing surprises me.

"But the electorate regard this as a matter of trust – and the more the party adheres to its manifesto, the more successful it will be.”

The disciplinary action centres on the rebels' support for the cross-party group, “I Want a Referendum”, which is running mini-referendums in the seats of pro-EU MPs. The Labour MPs being targeted – who include at least one minister – are understood to be furious that parliamentary colleagues are backing a campaign to destabilise them.

Last week, Mr Field and fellow ex-ministers Gisela Stuart, Kate Hoey and Graham Stringer were told by Mr Hoon their behaviour was "disgraceful".

The Birkenhead MP has denied repeated suggestions he will defect to the Conservatives, once stating he would not "make life that easy for Gordon Brown".