Taken in by Police is not necessarily the same as committed

A lot of people (including some MPs) are jumping to conclusions that because the media have reported was taken into care by Police, that he has been committed, or more formally had a compulsory treatment order.

I don't know any details around what has happened, but I do know it is not uncommon for Police to take people to a mental health facility. It doesn't mean someone is going against their will.  Unless there is some sort of official statement (and I presume only JLR could authorise one, or someone he nominates), then public speculation is unhelpful.

A few people have also been raising whether what has happened causes a vacancy under the Electoral Act.

Even if there has been a compulsory treatment order (and the Police can't issue those, a court does) there is no vacancy for at least six months. The basic procedure is:

  1. Speaker of the House appoints a medical practitioner who will visit the MP, along with the Director-General of Health, and report to the Speaker if they consider the MP is “mentally disordered”
  2. If so, then in six months time the medical practitioner and DG again assess the MP and only if they still conclude the MP is “mentally disordered” is a vacancy created

But again it is highly highly unlikely that there has been such an order. People are misunderstanding the reference to the Police being involved.

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