A former Saints chairman is taking legal action against a parliamentary watchdog.
Rupert Lowe, who is the Independent MP for Great Yarmouth and was the chairman of Southampton FC from 1996 to 2006, is challenging the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) at the High Court over its decision to investigate a complaint against him.
He is seeking to have the court quash the decision, which he says was made last July.
The complaint in question was made by a third party who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
According to a court order issued earlier this week, Mr Justice Chamberlain said a hearing will take place on March 17 to decide whether the High Court has the authority to consider the claim.
The ICGS has argued that it does not.
Mr Justice Chamberlain said: "The defendant submits that the investigation relates to the internal processes of the House of Commons, that such processes fall within the exclusive cognisance of the House of Commons and, therefore, that the court has no jurisdiction to consider the claim."
He said the court will decide on March 17 2026, whether it can hear the case as a preliminary issue.
READ MORE: Van driver who fraudulently used blue badge made 'a mockery of the system'
In the meantime, a separate hearing will be held on Tuesday to decide if the ICGS should be temporarily blocked from investigating the complaint, pending the outcome of the March hearing.
The claimant subsequently sought interim relief to prevent the defendant from taking steps to investigate the complaint against him before the court had determined the preliminary issue.
No details about the complaint have been made public.
The ICGS investigates complaints of inappropriate behaviour by MPs.
Last June, MPs approved changes to the scheme, including establishing a permanent ICGS Assurance Board which would scrutinise its performance and hold its director to account.
The changes followed a review by former Hampshire police chief constable Paul Kernaghan, who made 26 recommendations, including mandatory training on Parliament’s code of conduct for all MPs.
Mr Lowe was elected as a Reform UK MP but was suspended by the party in March last year following allegations he had threatened then-party chairman Zia Yusuf.
He denied the allegations, and the Crown Prosecution Service said no criminal charges would be brought against him in relation to alleged threats towards Mr Yusuf.
Share