Anne-Marie: I was pinned against wall by sexist MP
INTERNATIONAL Trade Secretary Anne Anne-Marie Trevelyan was once trapped against a wall by an MP convinced she desired him as he was “powerful”.
She also spoke about being pawed by men in Westminster – having been on the receiving end many times.
Ms Trevelyan said: “I’ve witnessed and been at the sharp end of misogyny from some colleagues many times over.
“We might describe it as wandering hands, if you like.
“We might describe it as, you know, a number of years ago being pinned up against a wall by a male MP who is now no longer in the House, I’m pleased to say, declaring that I must want him because he was a powerful man.
“These sorts of things, these power abuses, that a very small minority – thank goodness – of male colleagues show is completely unacceptable.”
Committed
The minister told LBC Radio she had been subjected to “wandering hands” by “half a dozen” men in Westminster, some of whom were “repeat offenders”.
But she dismissed the idea of a booze ban at Westminster – instead calling for men to stop believing they are “God’s gift to women...keep your hands in your pockets and behave as you would if you had your daughter in the room”.
She added that the vast majority of her male colleagues are “delightful” and “committed parliamentarians”.
Meanwhile, the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury Pat McFadden said the “overall effect” of inappropriate behaviour in the Commons is “corrosive” to faith in politics.
The Labour MP admitted: “That’s a bad thing for the country because this is still the arena where we have to decide the big challenges facing the country.”