A former Conservative MP, Aidan Burley, who organized a Nazi-themed stag party, along with two other former MPs involved in a cash-for-questions scandal, still holds access to the UK Parliament. This situation raises concerns regarding the oversight of individuals with controversial backgrounds who are allowed to enter the parliamentary estate.
Burley, who was dismissed from his role as a ministerial aide in 2011 after the details of the stag do surfaced, remains one of the 427 individuals classified as “Category X” passholders. This designation allows former MPs limited, unescorted access to certain areas of Parliament. He has utilized his pass six times in both 2024 and 2025, up to November.
Two other former MPs, David Tredinnick and Graham Riddick, who were suspended in 1995 for their involvement in a cash-for-questions scandal, also retain their access. Tredinnick and Riddick were penalized for accepting payments for parliamentary questions from reporters posing as businessmen. Each of them has visited Parliament once in the past two years.
The GMB union, representing a significant number of parliamentary staff, has voiced concerns over this issue. Lisa Gillmore, the union’s senior parliamentary researcher, emphasized the need for increased scrutiny when granting access to Parliament: “GMB is the largest union for MPs’ staff with over 1,500 active members working for MPs and as such we want to see a greater level of scrutiny applied when granting access to the estate and its workers.”
Burley’s controversial past includes a 2011 incident where guests at his stag do raised a toast reminiscent of Adolf Hitler’s regime. After the backlash, he apologized for his actions. An internal Conservative Party report concluded that he was not a “racist or anti-Semite.” Since leaving Parliament in 2015, Burley has joined the political group Reform UK, as noted by Nigel Farage, who referred to his membership as part of “death by a thousand defections.”
Former Welsh Secretary Stephen Crabb and ex-environment minister Tim Yeo are also passholders. Crabb resigned in 2016 following allegations of sending explicit messages to a 19-year-old job applicant. The Conservative Party deemed his behavior “inappropriate” but found no breach of its rules. Crabb has visited Parliament eight times in 2024 and 23 times in 2025 up to November.
Yeo, who faced scrutiny for past controversies, including fathering a child out of wedlock and allegedly suggesting he could promote business interests in exchange for cash, has visited Parliament once in each of the last two years.
The “Category X” pass, issued to former members of Parliament, permits limited access to the parliamentary estate. Eligibility requires service in two parliaments or six years, whichever is longer. Holders can access designated meeting areas and catering facilities during specific hours.
Among the most frequent users of this pass is former Conservative MP Lee Rowley, who accessed Parliament 127 times over the past two years. There is no implication of misconduct associated with Rowley.
Concerns have also emerged regarding other former MPs who have been implicated in allegations of misconduct. Simon Danczuk and Ivan Lewis, both with past suspensions from the Labour Party over sexual misconduct, still hold access passes. Danczuk was suspended in 2015 for sending inappropriate messages to a minor, while Lewis faced allegations of sexual harassment in 2017.
The Commons has clarified that former members’ passes grant limited access to specific areas within the parliamentary estate. Passholders are required to adhere to a code of conduct while on the estate and are prohibited from lobbying activities.
A spokesperson for the House of Commons stated, “As with all pass applications, eligibility is rigorously scrutinized and processes are in place to ensure applications can only be made by those with an approved requirement.”
Access passes are revoked for any former members convicted of a crime leading to a custodial sentence. The issue of access for former MPs with controversial histories continues to prompt discussions about the need for stricter regulations in Parliament.
