WATERED-DOWN proposals for MPs accused of a violent or sexual offence to be banned from Parliament only after they have been charged, rather than at the point of arrest, will put staff at risk, the Prospect union has warned.

General secretary Mike Clancy urged MPs to vote against the government plans when a long-awaited Commons debate on risk-based exclusion of MPs takes place on Monday.

He said: “We have waited a long time for Parliament to make even a pretence at becoming a 21st century workplace in relation to MPs being accused of serious misbehaviour.