MP tells Yard of ‘sex assault’ by shadow minister

A SHADOW minister has been reported to police for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman MP, the Metropolitan force said.

The incident is said to have taken place after a summer party in London in July 2021, according to the Tortoise news website.

It said at least one other shadow minister was made aware of the claim at the time.

The Labour MP’s account was also corroborated by two sources, who said she had told them about the alleged sexual assault shortly afterwards. Although the MP was encouraged to make a formal complaint, she told the website she believed the man’s popularity in the party would count against her.

The shadow minister has remained in his post.

But the website said the female MP had approached the Met in recent weeks to make the allegation, but does not want it to be pursued further at this time.

She also spoke to Labour whips over concerns about a “wider pattern of behaviour”.

A Labour Party spokesman said: “We take any allegations of this sort very seriously and would always encourage individuals to go to the parliamentary process, the Labour Party process or the police.”

The Metropolitan Police said: “In March 2023, police received a report that a woman was sexually assaulted by a man in London in July 2021. At the victim’s request, the incident will not now be investigated at this time.” More than 1,200 people have contacted the House of Commons’ Independent Complaints and Grievance System helpline since it was created in 2018. The ICGS has found 10 MPs have breached the MPs’ Code of Conduct on bullying or sexual harassment.