‘Rabid sexism and double standards’ rife in Parliament

“RABID sexism and double standards” are rife in Parliament, as seven in 10 female MPS say they have witnessed inappropriate behaviour in the past five years.

In a report from the Fawcett Society, 69 per cent of women MPS said they had seen sexist behaviour in Parliament during that period.

Nearly half of both male and female MPS, 49 per cent, said they had seen inappropriate behaviour at work during the past five years.

“There’s rabid sexism and double standards,” one woman MP told the charity, adding: “It’s tough being a woman in Parliament.”

“Sometimes it’s pretty horrible... inappropriate touching, inappropriate comments, inappropriate looks and if you call it out you get pilloried for it.”

The gender equality charity said it was “not surprising” that 62 per cent of women MPS surveyed said the culture in Parliament had a “negative impact on how they feel about being an MP”, compared with 34 per cent of men.

Another female MP said that there was no leadership when it came to tackling sexism.