Anti-bullying posters put up in Parliament
MPS and peers warned against ‘abusing’ their power in aftermath of scathing report
SIGNS telling MPS and peers to “recognise your power, influence or authority and don’t abuse them” are being put up at public entrances around Parliament in the wake of the Westminster bullying scandal. The notices telling MPS how to behave have started to be put up by Parliamentary authorities as they battle to deal with the bullying exposed in the Dame Laura Cox report.
They are part of an anti-bullying initiative, which has seen thousands of posters and brochures sent to MPS, peers and their staff in Parliament.
Jess Phillips, the Labour MP, said it was “outrageous and totally necessary – all in one go” that MPS needed to be told to behave in this way.
She told The Daily Telegraph: “We have come to a point where things like this have to happen, but it is a deep sadness we have to be reminded to be human beings.”
Andrea Leadsom, the Leader of the House of Commons, said the signs would “make it clear to everyone the code by which we are all expected to abide”. She said she hoped that as the code “becomes more familiar, it will become much more lived by. It will be something of which people can remind each other, and something that they can think about when they see someone behaving inappropriately”.
The A2-sized posters – headed “Behaviour Code” – say: “Whether you are a visitor or working in Parliament at Westminster or elsewhere, there are clear guidelines in place on how you should be treated, and how you should treat others.”
It tells MPS, peers and others who work in Parliament to “respect and value everyone – bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct is not tolerated”. Victims of “bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct” are encouraged in the poster to ring one of three independent helplines.
It says that MPS and peers should “recognise your power, influence or authority and don’t abuse them”. It goes on: “Think about how your behaviour affects others and strive to understand their perspective. Act professionally towards others.
“Ensure Parliament meets the highest ethical standards of integrity, courtesy and mutual respect. Speak up about any unacceptable behaviour you see.” The poster adds in bold: “Unacceptable behaviour will be dealt with seriously, independently and with effective sanctions.”
The initiative has emerged days before the House of Commons Commission meets on Monday to consider the findings of Dame Laura’s report, which had singled out “a shocking culture of fear and deference [that] is driven right from the top of the House of Commons, behaviour that we would not tolerate elsewhere”.
John Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons, has faced claims – strongly denied – that he bullied two former officials.
A spokesman for the House of Commons said: “The campaign is part of a wider culture change initiative.”