Labour hit by 2nd ‘suicide’ in Westminster sex pest storm
LABOUR was plunged into a fresh crisis over the Westminster sexual misconduct scandal last night after a second party member apparently committed suicide.
The man, in his early thirties, died ‘suddenly and unexpectedly’ last week after being suspended following claims involving pornography.
The tragedy will intensify pressure on the Labour leadership to overhaul the way it deals with complaints about sexual harassment and wrongdoing.
It comes just weeks after Welsh Labour politician Carl Sargeant took his own life over sexual harassment claims. He said he was never told the details of the allegations. The Welsh communities minister died four days after he was removed from his post and suspended from the party earlier this month after allegations about his behaviour.
Labour staff were told about the latest death on Thursday morning but were ordered not to speak publicly about it, the Sunday Times reported.
It is believed the man, who worked at Labour party headquarters in central London, had been accused of digitally manipulating the faces of people on to the bodies of porn stars.
He was quietly suspended from the party after the allegations were made – but died before an investigation could be carried out. Last night a Labour Party spokesman confirmed the death but would not comment on the circumstances.
‘A member of Labour Party staff has died suddenly and unexpectedly,’ she said.
‘Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family, friends and colleagues, whose privacy must be respected. We will not be commenting further at this time.’ Labour has brought in top barrister Karon Monaghan to investigate claims made by party activist Bex Bailey last month that a party official warned her against going public after she was raped at a party event.
The barrister can also make broader recommendations about Labour Party procedure.
But there have been criticisms of Labour’s way of dealing with allegations of sexual misconduct – particularly following the death of Mr Sargeant. His family said he had been kept in the dark and was not afforded ‘common courtesy, decency or natural justice’.
His wife Bernie, 48, and children Jack, 23, and Lucy, 25, said they are ‘devastated beyond words’ because the family have lost ‘the glue that bound us together’.
Labour MP John Mann said the party’s efforts to investigate claims were ‘ amateurish’ and called for it to hand over control to an independent body.
‘There isn’t a coherent means of dealing with any of this in any of the parties,’ he said. ‘[Labour] 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.’
Shocked staff at Labour’s headquarters were told on Thursday morning that the party member, who has not been named, had died. A source said: ‘The person was suspended last week for porn-related allegations. An inquiry was in its early stages.
‘No facts had been found nor was there any finding of guilt.’
It is understood the man’s family has not criticised Labour’s response to the affair, but the case raises serious questions about the way claims of wrongdoing have been handled.
‘Operating on a wing and a prayer’