Downing Street has described as “very concerning” multiple allegations of sexual misconduct made against the couple who run PinkNews, the world’s largest LGBTQ+ website.
The BBC reported that more than 30 current and former staff of PinkNews have accused its founder and CEO, Benjamin Cohen, and his husband, Anthony James, of inappropriate behaviour towards younger male colleagues.
Several former staff members told the BBC they had witnessed James, a director and chief operating officer of the UK-based organisation, kissing and groping a junior colleague who they believed was too drunk to consent.
Multiple former employees also told the broadcaster they had seen or personally experienced bullying and sexual misconduct, which made some of them feel unsafe to be alone with Cohen and James.
The BBC said the men’s representatives had told them they were unable to provide a statement before publication, but that they denied the claims.
The Guardian has contacted PinkNews for comment.
Five former employees told the BBC they had seen James, a former GP, kissing and touching a junior member of staff outside a pub at a PinkNews event, despite the employee being “too drunk to stand or talk” and “unable to consent”.
One witness told the BBC James had led the junior colleague behind a tree. “Anthony was just forcing himself on somebody who wasn’t able to make that decision for themselves because of how intoxicated they were,” he said.
The drunk man was helped into a taxi by those present, but several employees who had witnessed the incident told the BBC they were too scared to complain. One said: “It’s the CEO’s husband, what are you going to do? Lose your job?”
The BBC said it had seen multiple copies of an internal complaint made about the incident, which had been shared with several members of the senior leadership team. It said it had been unable to establish if any action had been taken.
Separately, one former staff member – among 33 current and former employees interviewed by the broadcaster – told the BBC Cohen had slapped him on the bottom in front of colleagues at a party, after which, he said, “I just shut down for a minute. I didn’t know what to say. I was in shock”.
Another man said Cohen had drunkenly propositioned him during an evening in the pub after work, despite being his boss. Others said they were shouted at and belittled by the CEO, and that there was a “toxic” culture at the company.
PinkNews, founded by Cohen in 2005, has grown to become a prominent and influential voice for LGBTQ+ people, and was central to the campaign for equal marriage in the UK. Keir Starmer, the prime minister, addressed the PinkNews awards in 2022, while Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Corbyn have been interviewed. Boris Johnson, David Cameron, and Tony Blair have written for the site.
Questioned by reporters on Tuesday, the prime minister’s official spokesperson said of the BBC story: “They’re clearly very concerning reports. I can’t speak to the specifics of them, but everyone should be free from sexual harassment at the workplace and indeed anywhere. And people should obviously always feel confident to come forward in these situations.”
