Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Corbyn ‘warned over promoting’ accused Hopkins
costume on and he walked in, stark naked, trying to shock me. I promptly left.”
Even travel to the races put her at risk of unwanted advances. “I used to get lifts in cars,” said Gay, who has been with partner Annesophie for the past six years.
“There’s a trainer now, a top trainer. He was an assistant at the time. I said to my dad, ‘I’d rather go with the horse in the horse box.’ I knew I’d be safe.
“I was young then. I was a kid. I never said anything because no one believed you. ‘You must have provoked them’ – that’s what you got.” The harassment did not stop when Gay retired from riding to set out as a trainer in Newmarket in
tiny minority run their interests along unswervingly ethical lines.
Rumours of offers of “a leg up” with conditions attached are rare, but not unheard of. Much has changed for the better since the abhorrent events described by Gay.
The BHA has recognised the need to promote female represent- 1991. She said: “I had started training and I was staying in a hotel at Doncaster. I had two trainers knocking on my door, and I had a very respected top trainer calling me.
“I used to stay at hotels miles away because I got so much harassment.”
Her allegations come in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sex-abuse claims scandal and as allegations of sexual improprieties emerge at Westminster. Despite accounting for 70% of Britain’s 6,000 stable staff
ON SPEAKING OUT NOW
ation within all levels, one aim of its Diversity in Racing Steering Group.
But to believe sexual harassment has been consigned to the past is beyond naive. Those who start out in racing are vulnerable and the trust they place in employers must never be betrayed. The core value in the stable yard must be respect. – low-paid jobs with long hours – women have struggled to make an impact in the top echelons of a sport which contributes £3.5billion to the UK economy per year.
They were allowed to hold training licences only after High Court action in 1966.
While Jenny Pitman, Venetia Williams, Sue Smith and Lucinda Russell have saddled the Grand National victor in the race’s 178 years, no female handler has captured the Derby.
And 30 years on from Sprowston Boy’s Royal Ascot triumph, only one woman, Hayley Turner, has ridden the outright winner of a Group 1 Flat race in Britain.
As a trainer, Gay has won numerous big races including the Three-year-old Sprint All-weather Championship at Lingfield Park in 2015 with Lightscameraction.
She insists while progress has LABOUR has been drawn deeper into the Westminster sleaze crisis after it emerged Jeremy Corbyn’s chief whip raised concerns at him promoting an MP accused of harassment.
Dame Rosie Winterton questioned the appointment of Kelvin Hopkins as Shadow Culture Secretary in 2016, say party sources.
Ava Etemadzadeh, 27, first raised allegations about Mr Hopkins’ alleged behaviour more than three years ago. The MP was suspended from the party on Thursday over claims he sent lewd texts and rubbed his crotch against the activist.
But Mr Hopkins, 76, last night “absolutely and categorically” denied the allegations, adding: “I did not rub any part of my body, let alone my crotch, against Ava.”
He also gave details of a text from Ms Etemadzadeh, telling him: “You’re a star.”
Meanwhile, Labour MP Clive Lewis is under investigation by the party after an official complaint that he groped a woman at the annual conference just weeks ago in Brighton.
The 39-year-old woman, who has not been named, has said: “We had a hug and he gave my bum a big squeeze. It was over familiar.”
Mr Lewis replied: “I wouldn’t do that. It’s not my style. They’re lying or they’re wrong.”
Labour have appointed independent legal expert Karon Monaghan QC to probe allegations activist Bex Bailey, 19 at the time, was raped at a party event six years ago.
The teenager told a senior official about the incident but was urged not to report it.
Ms Monaghan will also consider the party’s current procedures for handling complaints.
Number 10 last night denied reports Leader of the House Angela Leadsom had asked Theresa May to sack Sir Michael Fallon.