Female Labour MPS revolt over ‘wife beater’ in their midst

LABOUR was told before the general election that a male MP had been accused of beating his wife, but still allowed him to stand as a candidate.

Jeremy Corbyn is facing a revolt by female MPS who are demanding that he suspends the politician from the party while allegations that he abused his wife on repeated occasions are investigated.

The Daily Telegraph understands the claims were reported to the Labour Party in the run-up to the snap election in June last year.

However, despite the severity of the accusation, the candidate was still allowed to stand.

Mr Corbyn’s office is understood to have been aware of the allegations since November of last year. A meeting of female Labour MPS, allegedly attended by Harriet Harman, the former Labour deputy leader, has now backed calls to suspend the politician from the party.

The Women’s Parliamentary Labour Party wants a response within a fortnight.

One of the MPS told The Daily Telegraph: “We just feel like we’ve hit a brick wall. The allegations against this man are horrific, he should not be an MP. It feels like the party is doing nothing.”

A Labour spokesman said the party was taking the claims extremely seriously.

Last night, there were reports that several Labour MPS had resigned from the Women’s Parliamentary Labour Party amid concerns that details of the alleged domestic violence case had leaked out.

The MP accused of beating his wife has not been named to protect the anonymity of the alleged victim.

Female Labour MPS have repeatedly championed victims of domestic violence. Last month, Jess Phillips read the names of more than 100 women who have been murdered by men in the past 12 months as she demanded an “end to the culture of male violence”.

The Birmingham Yardley MP, who worked in a women’s refuge before being elected, said: “Violence against women and girls is an epidemic. If as many people died every week at a sporting event or because they had a specific job, there would be a national outcry.

“These women deserve the same. We must all do better to hear their stories and to the end the culture of male violence that killed them.”

In a 10-minute speech, Ms Phillips also paid tribute to Karen Ingala Smith, who runs the Counting Dead Women project, for sending her the list, which she read out for the third year running.