Labour MP Liam Byrne faces suspension for ‘maliciously’ bullying staff member – his apology notwithstanding
Former Labour minister Liam Byrne could be suspended from the Commons for maliciously bullying a staff member.
A disciplinary panel recommended a two-day suspension after the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone upheld an allegation of bullying against Mr Byrne by aformermemberofhisconstituency staff.
The Independent Expert Panel found the Birmingham Hodge Hill MP abused his positionofpowerandostracisedthe staff member by ceasing personal contact with him for several months and denying him access to his Parliamentary IT account.
In a scathing report, the panel accused Mr Byrne of trying to “presenthisactionsasareasonable HR strategy”, but added: “We disagree. It was bullying.
“Heshould,ashenowaccepts, have tackled any misconduct through a proper disciplinary process, not by ostracising the complainant.”
The panel has now recommended that Mr Byrne should be suspended for two sitting
days on the condition that he also makes a written apology.
Hemustalsoundertaketraining and take action to address the causes of his behaviour and weaknesses in the management of his office.
Mr Byrne said he had apologised to the complainant in his case and stressed the situation had been a “valuable lesson for me and one I am determined to learn”.
In a statement he said: “I am extremely grateful to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standardsandtotheindependent Expert Panel for their thorough investigation and careful judgement.
“I am very lucky to work with anamazing,happyteamofpeople, who together have almost 40 years of combined service to my constituents in our Westminster and Hodge Hill offices wherewe’redeterminedtoprovide the best possible service and voice to what is the most income-deprived constituency in England.
“However, two years ago at the beginning of lockdown, followingaworkplacedisputethat led me to send the complainant home, I did not resolve the dispute correctly with a proper disciplinary process and, having nevertheless extended the complainant’scontract,thereby failed to fulfil my obligations as an employer and Parliament’s Behaviour Code.”