Call last orders on sex pest MPs
‘Safe space’ bar in anti-sleaze blueprint
POLITICIANS should be banned from a popular Commons bar to create a “safe space” from sex pests, a Labour MP says.
Outspoken John Mann yesterday unveiled a blueprint for tackling sleaze in the wake of growing harassment allegations.
His most radical proposal is that MPs should be banned from the Commons Sports and Social club frequented by many young researchers.
Mann also said MPs found to be sex pests must make a public apology, donate to abuse charities and lose their party whip or stand down.
Last night, another MP came under the spotlight in the growing scandal.
Tory Chief Whip Julian Smith announced that backbencher Charlie Elphicke had been suspended.
He added that the 46-yearold MP for Dover faced “serious allegations” which had been referred to police.
Elphicke said he denied any wrong-doing.
Yesterday, Jeremy Corbyn faced criticism that Labour’s procedures for dealing with harassment complaints was “insufficient”.
The Labour leader kept silent over why he appointed left-winger Kelvin Hopkins MP to his shadow cabinet despite claims against him from a young female activist.
Meanwhile, Theresa May , who lost Defence Secretary Michael Fallon to harassment claims, scrambled to issue new rules for Tory MPs.
Hopkins, 76, has been suspended while claims that he sent suggestive texts and acted inappropriately are investigated. He denies the allegations by Ava Etemadzadeh, 27, first made three years ago. Etemadzadeh said she was taken seriously by then chief whip Rosie Winterton, but not by Corbyn’s office. May has called a meeting of all party leaders next week to agree a system of dealing with abuse complaints in Parliament.