pA leading law firm has been found in contempt of the Commons after threatening an MP with legal proceedings if he made allegations about one of its clients in the House. /ppThe Standards and Privileges Committee criticised Withers LLP for failing to realise that John Hemming, a Liberal Democrat backbencher, was protected by Parliamentary privilege. /ppThe firm of solicitors had urged the MP to withdraw what they called defamatory claims about property developer Jeremy Knight Adams. /ppThey later sought an assurance that he would not repeat the allegations in the Commons, saying that without it they would issue proceedings. /ppMr Hemming refused to give the undertaking and advised that the firm's actions might be regarded as contempt of Parliament. Withers dismissed his warning as inappropriate. /ppOnly after consulting counsel, following a further warning from Clerk of the House Malcolm Jack, did Withers accept it had been mistaken and apologised to the Commons and Mr Hemming.
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