MP in complaint over Thomson ‘groping’
● Fresh allegation relates to an incident which took place in Strangers Bar last year
A Scottish parliamentarian has made a complaint to Commons authorities claiming he was inappropriately touched by Conservative MP Ross Thomson.
Mr Thomson referred himself to an internal Scottish Conservative disciplinary process last month following reports he harassed men while drinking in a Westminster bar.
Police were called to reports of “sexual touching” in Strangers’ Bar and are understood to have spoken to Mr Thomson, but no arrests were made.
The Aberdeen South MP denied reports about the incitary dent in January, describing them as “completely untrue”, but referred himself to the party disciplinary process “in the interests of transparency”.
He now faces the possibility of an independent investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards following a new allegation from a fellow Scottish MP, which relates to an incident late last year.
A source close to Mr Thomson said: “Ross will fully cooperate with any parliamen- inquiry. It would be inappropriate for him to comment at this time.”
The complaint is understood to have been made to a new hotline set up for parliamentary workers to report allegations of sexual harassment.
It is understood the incident was raised informally with the Scottish Conservative group at Westminster in December. The MP making the complaint told the Daily Record that Mr Thomson’s subsequent “brazen and persistent denials” about the incident in Stranger’s Bar motivated him to approach parliamentary authorities.
“It has now pressed me to move beyond initial attempts to informally raise concerns and to now initiate a formal complaint,” he was quoted as saying.
“I hope this will give some reassurance to others who have been affected and have felt less able to come forward formally.”
Mr Thomson responded to earlier reports by stating: “I would like to state that these allegations from anonymous sources are completely false.
“No complaint has been made to the police, parliament or the Conservative Party.”
The strong denial caused tension within the Scottish Conservative Party, and interim leader Jackson Carlaw said Mr Thomson’s “alleged behaviour is completely unacceptable and falls well below the standard I think any of us would expect of any elected representative”.
Under rules introduced last year to protect the anonymity of complainers, the commissioner’s office does not comment on allegations unless they are fully investigated and a report is issued.
A complaint about the incident in Strangers’ Bar from an SNP staff member was not considered by the commissioner because it came from a third party.
However, standards commissioner Kathryn Stone may be able to re-examine previous complaints if she believes they demonstrate a pattern of behaviour by an individual.