Come fly with Adele
ADELE is the person holidaymakers would most like to sit next to on a flight. The singer topped the fantasy travel companion poll with 28% of the vote, ahead of Doctor Who star Jodie Whittaker (21%). MPs found guilty of sexual harassment could be kicked out of the Commons under a tough new crackdown, Home Secretary Amber Rudd has signalled.
Ms Rudd predicted that the wave of sleaze allegations sweeping Westminster would lead to a positive “clear-out” which would leave Parliament and the Government in better shape.
The Home Secretary said she wanted the sanction of sacking MPs to be considered as part of a major overhaul of anti-harassment procedures at Westminster.
She said: “I think that that is one of the things that I would encourage the review to look at. It may be the case, it may not.
“It is wrong for us to have a knee-jerk reaction based on the past week. I think what we need to do is look at the whole issue. There needs to be a procedure put in place as soon as possible.”
The Home Secretary said Westminster was undergoing a “watershed moment”.
Ms Rudd described as “disgusting” an incident in which former defence secretary Sir Michael Fallon is alleged to have lunged at a journalist and tried to kiss her on the lips. The comments came after Jane Merrick alleged in The Observer that the incident took place after a 2003 lunch when she was a 29-year-old junior political reporter.
Asked if such behaviour was disgusting, Ms Rudd said: “Completely disgusting. And it was right that he has stepped down.”
Ms Merrick contacted Downing Street about her claims just hours before Sir Michael’s shock resignation.
Ms Rudd insisted the end result of the spate of claims about inappropriate behaviour that has rocked politics will be positive.
The Home Secretary said: “I think it is something that will take place in terms of clearing out Westminster of that sort of behaviour. And I think that Westminster afterwards, including the Government, will be better for it. When we are confident that men and women can work in a respectful environment and people who have been on the receiving end of abuse of power can come forward, that will be a positive thing.”
Meanwhile, Ms Rudd said the Whitehall inquiry into First Secretary of State Damian Green has been widened to look at allegations that pornographic material was found on one of his parliamentary computers.
Mr Green, who is effectively Prime Minister Theresa May’s deputy, has strongly denied the claims and called them a political smear.
The Sunday Times reported that a statement prepared by ex-Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Bob Quick alleged the material was discovered by officers searching Mr Green’s Commons office following a spate of leaks of Home Office information in 2008.
Mr Quick said that he had not disclosed the allegations to the newspaper.
Mr Green is already the subject of an inquiry by the Cabinet Office’s Sue Gray after a woman alleged that he made inappropriate advances to her, claims he strenuously denies.