MPs outed in dirty dossier

"If half of them face allegations and have to stand down it could bring down the government." Former parliamentary researcher

BRITAIN: A group of parliamentary researchers in London have compiled a dossier of almost 40 Conservative MPs, including several cabinet ministers, who are accused of making unwanted sexual advances or behaving inappropriately towards colleagues and junior staff.

The spreadsheet, seen by The Times, details extraordinary and unverified allegations about 15 current ministers and more than 20 backbench Conservative MPs over the past five years.

A group of current and former researchers, both male and female, have drawn up the document, titled ‘‘High libido MPs’’, in recent days. The list reveals the growing number of MPs who have been the subject of accusations being spread around Westminster. It is being circulated to test the claims made and stamp out sexual misconduct.

Separately, at least four Labour MPs have been accused of harassing young women, including two who have served in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet. Those named in the researchers’ dossier include:

❚ A veteran Tory backbencher who is described as being ‘‘perpetually intoxicated and very inappropriate with women’’

❚ A current senior cabinet minister who is accused of being ‘‘handsy at parties’’ while another minister is said to have been nicknamed ‘‘Cop-a-feel’’

❚ A Conservative MP who is accused of agreeing a ‘‘nondisclosure’’ settlement with another politician’s researcher. It includes claims of sexual misconduct against 37 male and female politicians, including sexual harassment allegations and reported extramarital affairs. More than 25 are alleged to have been ‘‘inappropriate with female researchers’’.

A prominent female MP is accused of having extramarital sex with young male researchers. At least two MPs are accused of getting their mistresses pregnant, with one allegedly paying for her to have an abortion. Other MPs have reportedly had sex in their private offices in Westminster while two Conservative politicians are accused of using the services of prostitutes.

The list also alleges that a video is circulating of one Tory backbencher engaged in an extreme sex act with three men.

A former researcher involved in drawing up the spreadsheet said it was intended to ‘‘determine how extensive this issue is and especially how many ministers could potentially be involved’’. ‘‘If half of them face allegations and have to stand down it could bring down the government,’’ they said.

They said MPs listed had been the subject of rumours of inappropriate or unusual conduct over several years and that ‘‘normal’’ interactions such as polite advances or consensual relationships had not been included.

The former Conservative aide said researchers were often reluctant to come forward for fear of jeopardising their job.

‘‘Everyone knows about this in Westminster, about people who are known to be handsy or weird at conference. We knew about Stephen Crabb already but it’s just that so many, including senior ministers, have been overlooked,’’ they added.

The document includes Mark Garnier, the international trade minister, who is facing a parliamentary investigation after he admitted to asking an assistant to purchase sex toys.

Garnier described the 2010 incident as ‘‘good-humoured high jinks’’.-