Three cabinet ministers and two shadow cabinet ministers are facing allegations of sexual misconduct after being reported to the parliamentary watchdog set up in the wake of the #MeToo scandal.
They are among 56 MPs who have been referred to the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) over about 70 separate complaints.
The allegations involving the 56 include making sexually inappropriate comments and more serious wrongdoing. At least one complaint is believed to involve criminality and concerns an allegation than an MP bribed a member of staff in return for sexual favours.
The disclosures come weeks after Imran Ahmad Khan, a Conservative MP, [resigned following his conviction](https://archive.ph/IsfC6) for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy in 2008. Another Conservative MP, David Warburton, had the whip suspended this month after it was revealed he was under investigation over [alleged sexual harassment](https://archive.ph/gu3gw). The complaints are being assessed by the ICGS.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the Commons, is concerned by the number of complaints and is preparing to launch a review of working practices in parliament.
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MPs employ their own staff directly and deal with human resources problems themselves, meaning it can be difficult for employees to challenge inappropriate behaviour in the workplace. One of Warburton’s alleged victims worked for him — and his office manager was his wife.
The ICGS was set up in 2018 in the wake of the “Pestminster” scandal and the #MeToo movement. Sir Michael Fallon, [Charlie Elphicke](https://archive.ph/dF3Vj) and Stephen Crabb were among MPs who faced allegations of sexual impropriety.
Fallon resigned as a minister over a string of sleaze allegations. Elphicke was jailed for two years after being convicted of three charges of sexual assault. Two of the cases involved a parliamentary worker in 2016 and one was in relation to a woman at his family’s central London home in 2007.
Dave Penman, the general secretary of the FDA union, which represents civil servants, said: “While some of the procedures for raising complaints have improved, the fundamental balance of power between MPs and the staff they employ has not.
“Where that exists it will inevitably be exploited, either by those who do not have the skills to manage staff effectively, or those with more malevolent intent. It can come as no surprise, therefore, that if the circumstances that allowed bullying and harassment to flourish have not changed fundamentally.
“Parliamentary authorities need to address the fundamental causes of bullying and harassment, rather than simply rely on an enforcement mechanism that only protects those who feel able to raise complaints.
“That means that it’s time to look again at the employment relationship between MPs and the staff who support them, with a view to changing the model of 650 individual employers and creating a new employment model that will help protect staff while maintaining the level of service that MPs need to support their vital work.”
Jess Phillips, Labour’s shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, described the number of MPs facing allegations of sexual misconduct “harrowing” and called on the Speaker to convene a panel of MPs and experts to look at the problem again. “There continues to be a serious power imbalance in Westminster,” she said. “More needs to be done.”
Caroline Nokes, the Conservative MP who chairs the women and equalities committee, said: “I have long been concerned that the ICGS would not deliver all that we wanted it to and that there is still a pervasive culture of misogyny, harassment and unacceptable sexual behaviour that is all too prevalent at Westminster.”
Last week the procedure committee decided not to go ahead with an inquiry into banning MPs accused of sexual misconduct from the parliamentary estate. In a letter to parliament’s trade unions, the committee chairwoman, Karen Bradley, cited “the difficulty in maintaining the confidentiality of investigations were such a mechanism to be introduced” but insisted “we share in the commitment shown by the Speaker and the clerk of the house to ensuring that the House of Commons is a safe place to work”.
A government spokesman said: “We take all allegations of this nature incredibly seriously and would encourage anyone with any allegations to come forward to the relevant authorities.”
*Caroline Wheeler, Political Editor*
Saturday April 23 2022, 6.00pm, The Sunday Times
>Three cabinet ministers and two shadow cabinet ministers are facing allegations of sexual misconduct after being reported to the parliamentary watchdog
Remember the amount of noise the Tory Brexiteers made when the mention of bullying first cropped up as an allegation against Bercow and how it grew louder and louder and louder until Bercow stopped being Speaker of the House.
It would seem these allegations are far, far more serious.
>At least one complaint is believed to involve criminality and concerns an allegation than an MP bribed a member of staff in return for sexual favours.
Then the police should be investigating, not the parliamentary authorities.
Daily reminder that Margaret Thatcher defended pedophiles
If its only three, then it means that if the allegations are true, there are young men who consent to relationships with an unnamed slightly older female cabinet minister.
5 comments
Three cabinet ministers and two shadow cabinet ministers are facing allegations of sexual misconduct after being reported to the parliamentary watchdog set up in the wake of the #MeToo scandal.
They are among 56 MPs who have been referred to the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) over about 70 separate complaints.
The allegations involving the 56 include making sexually inappropriate comments and more serious wrongdoing. At least one complaint is believed to involve criminality and concerns an allegation than an MP bribed a member of staff in return for sexual favours.
The disclosures come weeks after Imran Ahmad Khan, a Conservative MP, [resigned following his conviction](https://archive.ph/IsfC6) for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy in 2008. Another Conservative MP, David Warburton, had the whip suspended this month after it was revealed he was under investigation over [alleged sexual harassment](https://archive.ph/gu3gw). The complaints are being assessed by the ICGS.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the Commons, is concerned by the number of complaints and is preparing to launch a review of working practices in parliament.
Advertisement
MPs employ their own staff directly and deal with human resources problems themselves, meaning it can be difficult for employees to challenge inappropriate behaviour in the workplace. One of Warburton’s alleged victims worked for him — and his office manager was his wife.
The ICGS was set up in 2018 in the wake of the “Pestminster” scandal and the #MeToo movement. Sir Michael Fallon, [Charlie Elphicke](https://archive.ph/dF3Vj) and Stephen Crabb were among MPs who faced allegations of sexual impropriety.
Fallon resigned as a minister over a string of sleaze allegations. Elphicke was jailed for two years after being convicted of three charges of sexual assault. Two of the cases involved a parliamentary worker in 2016 and one was in relation to a woman at his family’s central London home in 2007.
Dave Penman, the general secretary of the FDA union, which represents civil servants, said: “While some of the procedures for raising complaints have improved, the fundamental balance of power between MPs and the staff they employ has not.
“Where that exists it will inevitably be exploited, either by those who do not have the skills to manage staff effectively, or those with more malevolent intent. It can come as no surprise, therefore, that if the circumstances that allowed bullying and harassment to flourish have not changed fundamentally.
“Parliamentary authorities need to address the fundamental causes of bullying and harassment, rather than simply rely on an enforcement mechanism that only protects those who feel able to raise complaints.
“That means that it’s time to look again at the employment relationship between MPs and the staff who support them, with a view to changing the model of 650 individual employers and creating a new employment model that will help protect staff while maintaining the level of service that MPs need to support their vital work.”
Jess Phillips, Labour’s shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, described the number of MPs facing allegations of sexual misconduct “harrowing” and called on the Speaker to convene a panel of MPs and experts to look at the problem again. “There continues to be a serious power imbalance in Westminster,” she said. “More needs to be done.”
Caroline Nokes, the Conservative MP who chairs the women and equalities committee, said: “I have long been concerned that the ICGS would not deliver all that we wanted it to and that there is still a pervasive culture of misogyny, harassment and unacceptable sexual behaviour that is all too prevalent at Westminster.”
Last week the procedure committee decided not to go ahead with an inquiry into banning MPs accused of sexual misconduct from the parliamentary estate. In a letter to parliament’s trade unions, the committee chairwoman, Karen Bradley, cited “the difficulty in maintaining the confidentiality of investigations were such a mechanism to be introduced” but insisted “we share in the commitment shown by the Speaker and the clerk of the house to ensuring that the House of Commons is a safe place to work”.
A government spokesman said: “We take all allegations of this nature incredibly seriously and would encourage anyone with any allegations to come forward to the relevant authorities.”
*Caroline Wheeler, Political Editor*
Saturday April 23 2022, 6.00pm, The Sunday Times
>Three cabinet ministers and two shadow cabinet ministers are facing allegations of sexual misconduct after being reported to the parliamentary watchdog
Remember the amount of noise the Tory Brexiteers made when the mention of bullying first cropped up as an allegation against Bercow and how it grew louder and louder and louder until Bercow stopped being Speaker of the House.
It would seem these allegations are far, far more serious.
>At least one complaint is believed to involve criminality and concerns an allegation than an MP bribed a member of staff in return for sexual favours.
Then the police should be investigating, not the parliamentary authorities.
Daily reminder that Margaret Thatcher defended pedophiles
https://www.dw.com/en/uk-politicians-turned-a-blind-eye-to-child-sexual-abuse-for-decades/a-52527161
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westminster_paedophile_dossier
If its only three, then it means that if the allegations are true, there are young men who consent to relationships with an unnamed slightly older female cabinet minister.