LEE Anderson has been ordered to apologise to the Commons for breaking bullying and harassment rules after a parliamentary watchdog found he twice swore at a security officer when his pass did not work.
The Reform UK MP allegedly told the guard “f*** off, everyone opens the door to me, you are the only one” when he was told he needed to have his pass checked at the gates to the Westminster estate.
A complaint about the incident on November 3 was upheld by Parliament’s standards commissioner.
Anderson initially appealed against the finding to the Independent Expert Panel, but the panel dismissed his case.
Since then, he has “accepted the Commissioner’s finding that he had sworn at the complainant and that his behaviour had been a breach of the bullying and harassment policy," the panel said.
It said: “He had also expressed a desire to apologise. The sub-panel accepted Anderson’s evidence that he had faced ‘challenging personal circumstances’ on the day in question and his ‘unacceptable behaviour’ was ‘not planned or premeditated’.”
Speaking in the Commons, Anderson (below) said: "I accept the findings of the Independent Expert Panel and the Parliamentary Commissioners for Standards in full and without reservation.
"On November 23, 2023, at the Derby Gate entrance I was involved in an incident with a security guard.
"During the incident, I spoke to the complainant in a manner that was totally unacceptable and which included swearing and other language that goes against the House of Commons bullying and harassment policy.
"I would like to apologise to the complainant and to this House for my behaviour. Our security staff do an incredible job and should always be treated with the utmost of respect.
"The standards of an MP's behaviour must always be at a higher standard. I give you and this House my firm assurance that I've learned significant lessons through this process, and a firm undertaking that such behaviour on my part will never happen again."
