It’s a red letter day for Nigel Farage. The former Ukip leader entered parliament this month at the eighth attempt of trying and today delivered his maiden speech to fellow MPs. In an address that mixed wit and wisdom, Farage observed the custom of paying tribute to a member’s predecessor by saying of Giles Watling that he was a ‘jolly nice chap’ despite ‘having nothing even vaguely conservative about him.’ But there is one Commons convention that Mr S understands he will not be observing.
All MPs are invited attend inclusion and diversity training by the House of Commons, with newly elected members offered a place on seminars titled ‘Behaviour Code: Why it matters’ as part of their induction programme. While this training is not mandatory, MPs are encouraged by parliamentary bosses to sign up to these programmes in a move to provide what they call ‘an inclusive working environment.’ It’s all part of a push to clamp down on misdemeanours in Westminster, with the late, great octogenarian Betty Boothroyd once being advised to take sexual harassment training or reportedly face the risk of expulsion from the Lords.
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