Shadow minister at centre of police sex assault investigation
A SHADOW minister is being investigated by police over an allegation of sexual assault in a nightclub months before the general election, The Sunday
Telegraph can disclose.
The Labour frontbencher is alleged to have touched someone’s bottom while on the dance floor with people he knew and had met earlier that day.
He was still able to stand for re-election earlier this month despite an ongoing police inquiry. It is understood that Labour judged the allegation to be “less serious” than those against another MP who was suspended in October over claims of sexual harassment.
Police confirmed that they were investigating an allegation of sexual touching on an evening in July.
Last night, the shadow minister strenuously denied the allegation, describing it as “wrong and false”.
He has not been arrested or interviewed by police, and said that he had not been given any details of the complaint by them.
The Labour Party was aware of the allegation and police investigation but allowed the MP to retain the party whip and stand for re-election while the inquiry took place. Labour postponed any internal investigation until after the conclusion of the police inquiry, so the MP was not suspended and was returned to the House of Commons on Dec 12.
In a statement issued yesterday, a spokesman said: “The Labour Party takes all complaints extremely seriously, which are investigated and any appropriate disciplinary action taken in line with the party’s rules and procedures. We can’t comment on individual complaints.”
Last night, MPs demanded to know why the shadow minister had been allowed to stand for re-election without his constituents being made aware of the investigation. The case highlights the implications of a shift towards official secrecy around allegations of sex offences, in order to protect the identities of those under investigation.
The Society of Editors, which represents newspapers, has previously highlighted how naming suspects can help
encourage witnesses to come forward. Last night one parliamentarian pointed out that Stephen Hepburn, a fellow Labour MP, was blocked from standing again as a candidate after he faced an allegation of sexual harassment. Mr Hepburn, the former member for Jarrow, had been suspended from the party in October after it was alleged that he had targeted a female party member in 2005 on a night out, a claim he “completely refutes”.
He was barred from contesting his seat again by the party’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee, in November.
Speaking to The Telegraph last night, a senior Labour MP said: “Other people who have had similar allegations [made against them] were not allowed to stand as candidates.
“If it’s true and he’s been allowed to stand it’s really not right. You can’t treat one person different to another.”
However, it is understood that Labour judged the allegation against the shadow minister to be “less serious” than the allegation made against Mr Hepburn, calling into question the party’s “zero tolerance approach to sexual harassment”, which it says includes “unwanted physical contact such as hugging, kissing or inappropriate touching”.
After the 2017 “Pestminster scandal”, which saw a series of allegations of bullying, harassment, sexually inappropriate behaviour and abuse on the parliamentary estate, a Westminster hotline was set up for MPs and staff to report inappropriate behaviour.
Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme received 704 calls between July 2018 and June 2019.
The police force for the city in which the incident is alleged to have taken place confirmed it was “investigating an allegation of sexual touching which is believed to have taken place” in a bar in the early hours of a Sunday in July.
“An investigation is under way,” the force said in a statement, in which it added that it was appealing for anyone with information to come forward.