 The sovereign however may remove an individual from the Privy Council . On 8 June 2011 , the former MP Elliot Morley was expelled following his conviction on charges of false accounting in connection with the British parliamentary expenses scandal . Before this , the last individual to be expelled from the Council against his will was Sir Edgar Speyer Bt , who was removed on 13 December 1921 for collaborating with the enemy German Empire , during the First World War . Individuals can choose to resign , sometimes to avoid expulsion : three members voluntarily left the Privy Council in the 20th century : Jonathan Aitken , on 25 June 1997 following allegations of perjury , John Profumo , who resigned on 26 June 1963 , and John Stonehouse , who resigned on 17 August 1976 . On 4 February 2013 , Chris Huhne announced that he would voluntarily leave the Privy Council after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice . 
