‘Political parties must put respect at top of agenda’
Ruth Mosalski asks our political parties what they have done in the wake of the promise to clarify and strengthen procedures around any inappropriate behaviour towards staff, other politicians or the public at the Senedd and Westminster
POLITICAL parties have to put their own reputations second to stamp out harassment and inappropriate behaviour, the Assembly’s Presiding Officer has said.
Assembly Members will this week vote on a new dignity and respect policy.
In an interview with the Western Mail, Presiding Officer Elin Jones said dealing with harassment should be the first priority, not trying to avoid adverse publicity.
She said the policy didn’t just cover AMs but all those who work within the Assembly estate and buildings, as well as political party staff.
In November, Ms Jones met with all party leaders in the Assembly and Labour’s Jayne Bryant, chair of the standards committee.
“It was a discussion started by allegations and public interviews that had been made by women about experiences that they had with politicians and whether the behaviour of politicians had been inappropriate,” she said.
“There was an acceptance by all party leaders, and by myself, that this was an issue that we weren’t immune to here in the Assembly.
“There seemed to have been cases where AMs had not behaved appropriately and therefore we needed to make sure that the policy we had in place and the position we had in that policy ensured that people felt they could make complaints or could seek advice on any inappropriate behaviour.
“I feel quite strongly this isn’t just about having the processes right and getting procedure in place. I want acceptance and clarity from all members and people who work with us and around us that harassment and unacceptable sexual behaviour is not acceptable.”
Ms Jones was speaking ahead of a debate on Wednesday about a new dignity and respect policy which has been drawn up by the Assembly.
“This is a clear explanation of what the expectation of behaviour should be for all members and staff,” she said. “I hope we have got to a point now where all political parties put as a priority the need to stamp out any inappropriate behaviour and deal with complaints properly, and that the reputation of their political party is a secondary issue for them.
“The important challenge for all political parties is to ensure that we now adhere to this policy, that we have a high expectation of our elected members and dealing with any inappropriate complaints should be the first priority rather than seeking to avoid adverse publicity.
“I think that’s a particularly unique part of this because, of course, inappropriate behaviour happens in workplaces throughout Wales and we are not unique in that respect.
“There’s been publicity and public discussion that probably has made political parties very keen to avoid press coverage of any of these issues.
“Now my expectation, and, I am confident of this, is that the most important priority in all of this is to ensure that all complainants are dealt with fairly.”
Some had said the relative youth of the Assembly meant it did not have the right procedures in place when complaints were made.
Ms Jones said: “The newness of the establishment shouldn’t be an excuse for inappropriate behaviour.
“There have been complaints and accusations made against Assembly Members in the past from members of the public and from political staff here that show some members have fallen below what the expectation should be of good, respectful behaviour.
“Nothing about this parliament or any other workplace should be an excuse. We work in a stressful political environment but that isn’t an excuse for inappropriate behaviour.
“Expectations should be high for both our elected members and our constituents.
“We are elected by constituents, who had faith in us as their members to do a job on their behalf.
“We need to be held accountable for that and to do that in a context where our behaviour is respectful of everybody around us and in our workplace.
“We pass policy and legislation in this place that requires respect of all in society and if we don’t uphold that behaviour ourselves then people should feel justly aggrieved that we don’t practise what we preach”.
The new dignity and respect policy will be debated on Wednesday.
Ms Jones said: “I’m going to take the unusual step of not allowing it to go through on a nod – there will be affirmative action of a recorded vote by all members so, by taking part in the debate or casting their vote, they have taken affirmative action to hopefully agree the policy.
“This policy outlines the expectation of behaviour and that people can be free from harassment in this place.”
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LAST autumn, accusations of harassment and inappropriate behaviour were flying around the corridors of Westminster and Cardiff Bay.
Presiding Officer of the Assembly, Elin Jones AM, and the leaders of each of the Welsh parties said at that time they “very much regret that individuals may have been affected by inappropriate behaviour on the part of members of this institution”.
They said there is a code of conduct in place for AMs but said it was their aim to ensure everyone knew about that, whether Assembly Member, staff or the public.
At that time they said they were going to work together to “clarify and strengthen” procedures.
In the wake of that, a Dignity and Respect policy has been drawn up and will be voted on this Wednesday.
We asked each party to put forward someone to answer questions about what their party has done in the wake of that promise and whether they feel staff would now feel confident to report any issues.
Andrew RT Davies is leader of the Welsh Conservatives
He said: “There’s three things that have happened in the last few months. The leaders have come together with the Presiding Officer and with the Standards Commissioner, developing a protocol that meets the concerns that people have identified.
“Each and every one of the leaders has come together to speak out with one voice and have given a clear mandate to take actions forward.
“From my perspective, the Conservative Party’s response was to enforce a new protocol for all elected and non-elected members of the party.
“There’s a three-stage process of dealing with complaints when raised – that’s a new policy that was put in place. With that protocol, everyone is bound by it and it has confidentiality and independence at the heart of everything it does.”
He said it is key that people can raise concerns without being “intimidated”.
Asked if he felt complainants would speak out with an allegation that could damage their own party, he said: “You can draw comparisons to any place of work. We have a system of management, the workforce in place, and some people are reticent to be coming forward because they feel it will jeopardise their future prospects.
“That’s what we have to overcome, whether in a political environment or any workplace environment.”
He said that the Standards Commissioner has an important role in creating a new policy.
“Obviously, having this new protocol, with a policy of confidence and independence is very important.
“We do need to create the ability for people to come forward.
“In politics, people are front and centre in the public mind and people have to watch that malicious allegations aren’t made that disappear in time but because that person has had their name brought forward and taken through the media or social media, sadly has had an horrendous experience.
“The important thing to me is to create safe spaces for all accusations from people to come forward to be heard and investigated and to be either upheld or dismissed.”
In his seven years of leader of the group he said he has never had a complaint of the nature raised by whistleblowers brought up with him.
“We can always do more but I do believe that actions which have been taken in the last four or five months really have put in place a robust protocol. They may need to be worked up a little more, but the direction of travel is about the safe space to make concerns known and especially that independence and confidence is a part of the process and that we have, whether at the Assembly or Westminster, fully cross-party that these concerns can be addressed in that manner.”
Leanne Wood is leader of Plaid Cymru
She says she “wasn’t surprised” that allegations began being made about politics.
“As a woman, wherever you work, you will have come across either people who have experienced it if you haven’t yourself.
“I think most women, or the vast majority, are aware of the prevalence of inappropriate behaviour on the part of some people.
“It’s one of those taboo subjects that people were worried to talk about for a variety of reasons – often fear is responsible for it, as it’s often someone in a position of power responsible for it.
“I wasn’t at all surprised when people started speaking out in the political field. I was quite pleased they did.
“I have a 13-year-old daughter and, as girls are growing up and getting on the career ladder and getting a job, obviously I want to a create a different world for my daughter and her generation.”
She said she believes a power differential is the reason harassment happens.
“Women of any age are open to being on the receiving end of this. It does tend to be people who are younger or at the early stages of their careers. In elected positions or ministerial ones, the power differential is different. The chances of being on the receiving end are lower then.
“If you’re a younger woman in a new career, or interning, you don’t really have much power and you really want other people to help you get the breaks.
“It would be a mistake to say it only happens in the field of politics. People are more likely to speak out in politics because it’s what we do in politics, but I’ve worked as an academic and in the probation services and I went to work at Women’s Aid. I have seen a power imbalance which negatively impacts women in the main, but men aren’t immune from it.
“The situation we’re in now is very difficult, even though so many people have spoken out.
“There’s a need for due process and that’s absolutely important. As a former probation officer I know how important due process is, but there’s a reliance on one word against another. That’s often problematic.
“We are working to look at procedures and make sure they are believed if they come forward. I think the question about more
women getting involved in politics, it’s more about a change in culture. The reason sexual harassment in our society is allowed to become more prevalent is partly down to a number gap, in that one gender is in the top echelons of most organisations.
“If there was more balance then there’s a chance we could actually tackle the problem and change the culture which allows people to turn a blind eye.
“It’s difficult to articulate but most women know what it is.
“I work with and know some of the most sound men politically that I could come across, but it’s really difficult to get them to understand.”
She said work is ongoing at the Assembly.
“I don’t think we can be complacent and be immune from other future problems with these procedures.
“I think the main thing is that women will be taken seriously and that the procedures are clear for anyone to understand from the very beginning.
“Often people are put off from coming forward if they don’t know where it’s going to end up.
“With the question of anonymity, the Standards Commissioner made it absolutely clear to me there’s no such thing as an anonymous complaint as far as he is concerned.
“Unless people are prepared to put their name to the complaint, as far as I understand, it couldn’t be looked at by the Standards Commissioner or in another legal process.
“I think there’s a problem but I can also see why we have to have that in place.
“I think that situation is stacked against the person who wants to report it, but it’s difficult to see a way around that and how we can have an anonymous system of complaint and follow due process.
“We have to have confidence in a system for both sides.
“Quite a lot of work has been going on. At the first meeting in November with Y Llywydd and the leaders and the Standards Commissioner, we agreed there would be a cross-party attempt at tackling the whole question.
“There was a jumpstart at that point and the Standards Commissioner is carrying out an inquiry into the Code of Conduct for AMs, there is a dignity and respect policy.
“The Standards Commissioner has asked the party leaders that the approach to complaints can be coordinated between ourselves.
“The party leaders, we have been asked to synchronise our policy party-wise with the Assembly processes in terms of duplication or systems working against each other.
“I am confident it’s being taken seriously and the work is going on behind the scenes but it’s been a difficult time with the other things going on to have a proper debate about it”.
Vikki Howells is Labour AM for Cynon Valley
She said Labour has taken a “double-pronged approach”.
“We have been trying to strengthen our own internal procedure but also to work cross-party in the National Assembly.
“The Labour Party complaints procedure is not devolved to Welsh Labour,” she said.
Labour has centrally appointed Karon Monaghan QC to lead an independent investigation into the party’s handling of allegations already made.
She will also carry out an assessment of the party’s current procedures for the handling of complaints and, if necessary, make recommendations as to how they could be improved.
The party has also appointed Rape Crisis to offer support to any staff member affected.
They are carrying out an internal audit of Labour’s procedures.
“I am personally confident in the procedures.
“It’s not just about implementing policy and then moving on.
“We have got to be committed to improving our procedures.
“That’s the feeling I have got with all the work going on.
“I think it’s important that the party is asking independent experts to review its additional harassment policy and for the public members and staff to have confidence in those procedures.
“I am confident that with the involvement of Rape Crisis and the QC, that does create a rigorous policy.”
A Ukip spokesman provided written answers
“UKIP Wales leader Neil Hamilton has taken part in cross-party meetings chaired by the Assembly Commission in order to develop a dignity and respect policy. All of our AMs have discussed the issue together in group meetings and are happy with the current procedures in place in the party.
“We believe that our party group is an environment where these concerns can be discussed openly. In Ukip we are proud of our record in enabling both men and women to contribute and achieve positions in the party that are commensurate with their abilities.
“Unlike Labour, we have had a female leader, and so is our current deputy chair and former deputy leader Margot Parker MEP.”