The sleaze allegations embroiling Parliament have deepened with a Welsh MP claiming that a member of the shadow cabinet made lewd comments to her. It follows allegations that a Tory MP watched pornography on his mobile phone in the House of Commons chamber.
A Home Office Minister has said that, if the allegations of the unnamed Tory MP watching porn in the Commons are correct, they should be expelled from the party. Rachel Maclean, who is the minister responsible for safeguarding women, said the alleged behaviour was “shocking and unacceptable”, adding that there should be no place for it in the party or in Parliament.
Government chief whip Chris Heaton-Harris has launched an investigation following the allegations surfacing about the MP during a meeting of Tory MPs at Westminster on Tuesday, which was reportedly attended by between 40 and 50 MPs. Tory party chairman Oliver Dowden, Commons Leader Mark Spencer and Ms Maclean were all in attendance at the meeting.
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Ms Maclean said that everyone present had been “shocked and horrified” at what they were hearing. She told Sky News’s The Take With Sophy Ridge: "It’s just gruesome. I’m the minister responsible for safeguarding women and for creating laws which protect women against sexual harassment and violence against women and girls so it is deeply sickening and disgusting to hear that a male MP is watching porn.
“Action needs to be taken and I very much hope … we will see him out of Parliament, out of the party. I hope that’s where we get to. Of course, we have to hear the full facts of the case, we’ve only heard one side of the story, but that is already starting to happen. It is completely and utterly shocking and unacceptable. There is no place for this in our party.” She added that she was unaware of the identity of the MP at the centre of the allegations.
The meeting came amid reports that 56 MPs, including three cabinet ministers, are facing allegations of sexual misconduct referred to the Independent Complaints and Grievances Scheme. Mr Johnson told the Commons “sexual harassment is intolerable” and “of course it is grounds for dismissal” when asked about the 56 MPs.
A Conservative whips’ office spokeswoman said: “The chief whip is looking into this matter. This behaviour is wholly unacceptable and action will be taken.”
It also follows outrage over The Mail On Sunday publishing “sexist” and disputed claims from unnamed Tory MPs that deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner tried to distract Boris Johnson with her legs during Prime Minister’s Questions.
BBC Wales has also reported that a Welsh MP has spoken out about lewd comments allegedly made to her by a member of the shadow cabinet. She said she was described as a "secret weapon" because "women want to be her friend" and men want to sleep with her.
The MP, who wishes to remain anonymous, said it was not the only misogynistic or sexist behaviour that she had experienced in Parliament or on parliamentary business. Labour has said that if a complaint was made it would be taken "extremely seriously," BBC Wales reported.
However, the MP said that after consulting her team, she felt that it was not in her best interests to reveal her identity in public or to make a complaint. Describing a conversation at an event where someone described her as a "rising star" of her party, she said that, before she could reply, the shadow cabinet member had intervened to say she was "a secret weapon. Women want to be her friend" and men want to sleep with her. She is a vote winner."
A Labour spokesperson said: "The Labour Party takes all complaints extremely seriously. "They are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate action is taken."
