‘Men want to sleep with you’ slur

A WOMAN MP has claimed a Shadow Cabinet minister said she was a ‘secret weapon’ because men wanted to sleep with her.

The member of Sir Keir Starmer’s top team is alleged to have made the lewd comment after the woman was described as a ‘rising star’ of the party at an event.

The Welsh MP, who wants to remain anonymous, told the BBC that before she could reply, the frontbencher intervened to describe her as ‘a secret weapon’.

He said ‘women want to be her friend’ and, using a swear word, that men want to sleep with her, before adding: ‘She is a vote winner.’ The MP said she chose not to make a formal complaint. Labour said yesterday that the issue would be taken ‘extremely seriously’ if one was received.

Labour leader Sir Keir said: ‘I’m deeply concerned to hear these suggestions and these allegations. There is a complaints procedure and I want everybody to have the confidence to use that procedure because I would want to get to the bottom of this and do something about it.’

Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth said the party should investigate even if a formal complaint had not been made.