Parliament bullying ‘rife’

SEXUAL harassment and bullying is ‘rife’ within Parliament, according to a survey of MPs’ staff.

Four women said they had been the victims of sexual assault, while 18 women and one man said they had suffered sexual harassment.

Some described the atmosphere as ‘sexist, laddish, misogynistic’. One woman, in her 20s, said the first MP she’d worked for had shouted at her and constantly threatened to fire her. The second MP she worked for made a pass at her.

BBC Radio 5 Live sent anonymous questionnaires to all 1,500 staff publicly listed as working for MPs in Parliament in November last year.

Of the 1 respondents, 39 said they had experienced bullying at Westminster.