BERCOW MUST GO
MPs’ call as inquiry into sex harassment and bullying exposes ‘boorish and macho’ culture at Westminster
MPS last night demanded that Commons Speaker John Bercow step down after a damning report found that bullying and sexual harassment had been allowed to thrive in Parliament.
In an excoriating verdict, Dame Laura Cox said there was a culture of ‘acquiescence and silence’ that would never change unless those running the Commons were removed.
The respected lawyer also condemned a ‘macho’ environment in which groups of ‘boorish’ male MPs tried to stroke female staff, question them about their sex lives and proposition them.
In an interview to accompany her report, Dame Laura said there were about ‘half a dozen’ MPs involved in ‘very, very serious’ cases of bullying and sexual harassment. And she warned of ‘serial predators’ still working in the Commons.
She concluded that Parliament had a ‘culture, cascading from the top down, of deference, subservience, acquiescence and silence, in which bullying, harassment and sexual harassment have been able to thrive and have long been tolerated and concealed’.
The findings yesterday triggered a string of demands for Mr Bercow to step aside so the working culture in the House can be overhauled.
Claims have surfaced in recent months about Mr Bercow’s behaviour towards staff and colleagues. He has denied any wrongdoing.
Last night Sir Kevin Barron, head of the Commons standards committee, wrote in The Times: ‘The change in culture has to come from the top, and unfortunately I no longer believe the Speaker, John Bercow, is the correct person to provide that leadership, so he should step down.’
Tory MP Maria Miller, who leads the women and equalities committee, also called for Mr Bercow to quit – as did two other Conservative MPs. The Commons executive board apologised for the failings and said it would act on the findings. Dame Laura said the new independent complaints and grievance policy would not work in practice.
The review was commissioned in the wake of a series of allegations about sexual harassment and bullying in Parliament last summer. No one is named in the report and Dame Laura stressed that her concerns extend to the whole House, not just MPs, but she criticised ‘a number of individuals’ who ‘bear responsibility’ for the culture of Parliament.
She said change could not happen under the current Commons leadership, which includes Mr Bercow.
The Speaker has faced calls to resign after being accused of bullying by many members of his staff, but has vowed to cling on in his post.
Mrs Miller said last night: ‘This is a damning indictment of the leadership of the House of Commons, and that includes the Speaker.’
Business minister Claire Perry accused the Speaker’s Office of stopping historic cases being investigated as part of the revamped code of conduct unveiled this year. Tory MP James Duddridge said: ‘ Clearly there needs to be a change of culture at the top and that starts with John Bercow.’
Fellow Tory Andrew Bridgen said: ‘It’s clear a culture change is needed and that won’t happen with the current leadership.’
The report speaks of ‘ male MPs becoming increasingly boorish... of frequent sexual innuendos, lewd comments or sexual gestures, or women repeatedly being asked questions about their sex lives, or about their personal lives, which they found offensive and humiliating’.
According to the report, women staff were groped and propositioned by men who made lewd comments about their bodies. When women complained, they were told to ‘toughen up’ or be ‘pleased that people find you attractive’.
MPs also hurled abuse at staff and treated them ‘like servants’, humiliating them in front of colleagues.
Dame Laura said this culture ‘is as embedded as it is shocking’.
The report also warned there were members of staff who were ‘serial predators’ and said some complaints referred to serving MPs. Labour MP John Mann said: ‘Name, shame and sack every MP involved. Parliament could do it, so could party leaders. Don’t hold your breath.’
Some 200 serving and former staff gave evidence to the inquiry. Of those, just six described entirely positive experiences. Those who had been bullied or harassed spoke of their fear that complaining would cost them their jobs.
The effects of bullying and harassment were ‘devastating’, with some suffering ‘lasting physical or mental ill health’, Dame Laura said.
She called for the names of perpetrators to be made public in the most serious cases.
The Speaker’s Office said: ‘ The House of Commons Commission will meet as a matter of urgency in the coming days to consider the report and our response to it.’
‘A damning indictment’