Jonathan Sayeed (born 20 March 1948) is an Anglo-Indian British politician who was a Conservative Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom from 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2005.
Though he was reselected by the Mid Bedfordshire Conservative Association to contest his seat in the House of Commons shortly before the 2005 general election, he was forced to retire owing to ill health.
He was criticised by the Committee on Standards and Privileges for being "at the least careless, at the worst negligent" in respect of a company in which he had an interest, but no evidence was found that he had directly received any improper payments.
[5] Since 1974 "he worked as a shipping and insurance consultant",[4] and held directorships in various international companies:[2] Whilst he was MP for Mid Bedfordshire, Sayeed lived in Westminster, and also had a house in Houghton Conquest.
His interests include golf (Secretary, Lords and Commons Golfing Society 2004 and winner, 1998 and 1999, of the Parliamentary Handicap), sailing (Royal Naval Sailing Association and Royal Temple YC), tennis, skiing, classical music (Chairman of the Parliament Choir 2002–2003), books and architecture.
[2][11] Sayeed started to climb the ministerial ladder in 1991, when he was appointed parliamentary private secretary to Lord Belstead as Paymaster General.
[2] In 1996, Sayeed sold his public affairs company, and was appointed chairman of the training division of Corporate Services Group plc.
Sayeed's offices at 28 Stafford Place were the headquarters for William Hague's successful bid to become Conservative leader in 1997.
[2] In the 1999-2000 session of Parliament, Lord Weatherill and Sayeed introduced a private member's bill which was passed into law.
"[4] Sayeed continued as shadow minister after a reshuffle by the Conservative leader The Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith in July 2002.
[21] Following the 11 September terrorist attacks against the United States, the UK Parliament was recalled, and a solemn five-hour emergency sitting of the House of Commons debated the crisis.
[2] Economically, Sayeed was on the right of the Conservative party, opposing British entry into the single European currency.
On social matters, he was on the more liberal wing of the party, with the exception of gay rights in the Armed Forces, on which he opposed the lifting of the ban on homosexuals serving.
As an MP, he was considered a well informed and thoughtful contributor to debates on foreign policy in the Middle East and on economic, defence and social matters.
[31][34] In summer 2004, The Sunday Times claimed "The English Manner Ltd charges clients up to £500 per day for access to the Palace of Westminster through Jonathan Sayeed".
[30][33] There was a meeting of the local constituency party's executive council on 13 September 2004 to discuss the allegations in the Sunday Times article.
It is claimed that at the meeting, Messervy announced that a local donor, Martin Randall, had agreed to give the party some £10,000, so long as "Jonathan is still the candidate at the general election."
"[31] On 17 February 2005, the Mid-Bedfordshire Conservative Association held a meeting at the Rufus Centre in Flitwick to consider Jonathan Sayeed's future.
[41] "The Committee issued a second report on 17 March 2005 criticising Sayeed for failing to apologise for his conduct as the first report had ordered, for sending out a circular on House of Commons stationery to members of the Mid Bedfordshire Conservative Association asking for their support in his reselection, and misuse of allowances to pay for work on his home.
The committee explained this conclusion writing, "We agree with the Commissioner and deplore Mr Sayeed's failure to take the steps necessary to satisfy himself that such important matters were being dealt with properly.