Theresa May's Government criticised for 'failing to focus on punishments for sex pest MPs'

Sexual harassment scandal: Prime Minister Theresa May (right) listens as Leader of the Commons Andrea Leadsom responds to an urgent question in the House of Commons
PA
Francesca Gillett30 October 2017
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Theresa May's Government has faced a backlash for failing to focus on the punishments sex pest MPs will face for carrying out sexual harassment.

In a statement to the Commons on Monday, Andrea Leadsom outlined plans to set up an independent support service and confidential hotline for staff who report sexual misconduct.

Cross-party talks will begin “within days” to create the House-wide “mediation service” and will apply to all Parliament staff including interns and those working in constituencies, she told MPs.

But Labour backbenchers criticised the Government's statement for not initially making clear how MPs guilty of sexual misconduct would be dealt with.

Jess Phillips asked Ms Leadsom what will happen to perpetrators of sexual harassment in Parliament.
Parliament TV

Ms Leadsom's first statement unveiling Parliament's plan of action omitted details of how perpetrators would be punished, and it was only under questioning she revealed what could happen.

MPs found to have acted inappropriately could have their whip withdrawn and ministers could be sacked from Cabinet, the Tory frontbencher said.

During the debate, Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy tweeted: “Waiting to hear a single proporsal from Andrea Leadsom which relates to those who perpetrate acts of sexual harassment…”

Raising the question in the Commons, Jess Phillips asked Ms Leadsom what she felt needed to happen to perpetrators.

“Good referral lines and support for victims is obviously something I support, but nothing hurts a victim more than watching the perpetrator getting away with it," she said.

The leader of the Commons said Ms Phillips was “exactly right” and added: “In terms of what happens to the perpetrators that is of course a matter for the House to debate.

“But it will include where they are staff who are perpetrating then the normal, contractual potential for losing your job. Where it’s an MP, the possible withdrawal of the whip or sacking of ministers.

“All of these well-known events that can happen from time to time must be in scope and will be in scope.”

Responding to a question from Ms Creasy in the Commons, Ms Leadsom said: “In terms of the consequences for the perpetrators, I think I’ve been perfectly clear.

“In terms of staff they could forfeit their jobs. In terms of members of parliament they could have the whip withdrawn or be fired from ministerial office.”

Under the plans, the current “inadequate” grievance procedure will be overhauled, with work starting in “days, not weeks”.

Currently, people who work for MPs are employed by the politician themselves and thus not covered by the procedures for other Parliamentary workers.

In his statement to the Commons, Speaker John Bercow described the "culture of sexual harassment at Westminster" as "disturbing" but said the complaints procedure was a matter for parties.

Downing Street and the Commons has been under growing pressure to act in the wake of the scandal as an increasing number of sexual harassment allegations were lodged against high-profile Westminster politicians.

On Monday, the scandal took a new turn after a spreadsheet was published listing 36 Tory MPs who had allegedly behaved inappropriately towards women.

Among the shocking claims of sexual misconduct was one minister accused of being “handsy with women” and another who is “perpetually intoxicated and very inappropriate with women”.

The dossier, revealed by political website Guido Fawkes, is thought to have been leaked by Conservative secretaries and researchers.

It comes after international trade minister Mark Garnier reportedly admitted he had sent his secretary to buy sex toys and called her “sugar t***” – but denied the behaviour constituted sexual harassment.

The junior minister described the two incidents – which are now being looked into by an internal government inquiry - as “good humoured high jinks” and “amusing conversation”.

The Standard revealed on Monday that senior Tory MPs blocked an attempt by David Cameron to create a binding code of conduct that would have included a right for staff to seek arbitration.

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