Labour is on the rack over second ‘suicide’

LABOUR was under pressure yesterday over its handling of misconduct inquiries after a second party member reportedly killed himself.

He was understood to have worked at Labour’s London HQ and had been suspended in relation to alleged use of pornographic images.

Last week’s death comes after the suicide of Welsh Labour minister Carl Sargeant following claims about his treatment of women.

In the second case the staff member, believed to be in his early 30s, was said by sources to have been accused of digitally manipulating the faces of people on to the bodies of pornography stars.

A Labour Party spokesman said: “A member of Labour Party staff has died suddenly and unexpectedly.

“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family, friends and colleagues, whose privacy must be respected.

Tragic

“We will not be commenting further at this time.”

Labour MP John Mann denounced his party’s approach as “amateurish” and said it should hand control in such matters to an independent body.

“This tragic incident just highlights the chaos,” said Mr Mann. “The party needs to bring in external expertise and stop operating on a wing and a prayer.

“There has not been enough support for people who are coming forward as victims and there has been no support for people where allegations have been made against them.”

Earlier this month the party appointed Karon Monaghan QC to conduct an independent inquiry into its general procedures for handling complaints, and in particular claims by Labour activist Bex Bailey.

Ms Bailey alleges that when she told a party official she had been raped at a Labour event two years previously, they advised her not to take the matter further.

Labour has announced that it is hiring an independent specialist organisation to give advice to anyone with complaints about sexual harassment within the party.