MP Blunt faces probe over late declaration of payments from Palestinian rights group

Tory MP Crispin Blunt is being investigated by a parliamentary watchdog over his late declaration of payments from a Palestinian pressure group.

Blunt – who is notorious for his anti-Israel stance – is being investigated by the Standards Commissioner after declaring 10 payments from the International Centre for Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) after the 28 day period required.

The payments amount to more than £20,000.

He received the payments from August 29 2021 to June 1 2022, but declared at least 28 days too late.

In one case he declared the payment 320 days after receiving it.

The ICJP state their principal objective as being to coordinate and support legal work which supports the rights of Palestinians in Israel, the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the wider diaspora.

Their website states that the ICJP is advised by senior lawyers, academics and politicians who form its advisory board.

In May the ICJP hosted a conference examining claims of apartheid in Israel.

The Reigate MP last year faced calls to have the whip removed after he suggested terrorist group Hamas had the right to hit “legitimate targets” in Israel during a parliamentary debate.

In May this year, Reigate MP Mr Blunt, 61, announced he will stand down at the next general election.

He says he has responded to the Standards Commissioner over the ICJP payments.