Three Cabinet Ministers dragged into Commons sex investigation
THREE Cabinet Ministers and two Shadow Cabinet Ministers are reportedly facing allegations of sexual misconduct after complaints to Parliament’s harassment watchdog.
The allegations are being investigated by the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS), the regulator set up in the wake of the ‘Pestminster’ scandal that swept Westminster in 2017.
Last night senior sources also told The Mail on Sunday they knew of a dozen ‘live’ investigations into allegations about cross-party MPs.
The Sunday Times reported the three unnamed Cabinet and two Shadow Cabinet investigations and said the cases were among 56 MPs who had been referred to the ICGS over about 70 separate complaints. The ICGS, which was set up in 2018, declined to comment.
Last night sources said the number of 56 MPs suggested historical claims were included. ‘This could be anything – from someone touching somebody’s arm to much more serious,’ said one.
One senior MP warned against jumping to conclusions without seeing evidence and added: ‘I’m very worried this could be another Carl Beech’ – referring to the Metropolitan Police’s shambolic Operation Midland sex abuse inquiry into claims by the fantasist Beech.
House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle last week said he was about to launch a review of working practices in Parliament after several highprofile cases.
This month Tory MP David
Warburton was suspended from his party after sex and drugs allegations.
He is being investigated by the ICGS after a detailed series of images, audio recordings and messages emerged that implicated him in unwanted advances to women and the use of Class A drugs.
When the allegations became public, Mr Warburton said: ‘I have enormous amounts of defence, but unfortunately the way that things work means that doesn’t come out first. I have heard nothing whatsoever from the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme. I’m sorry, I can’t comment any further.’
Meanwhile, Tory MP Imran Ahmad Khan resigned from Parliament earlier this month after being convicted for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy in 2008.
MPs employ their own staff directly and deal with human resources matters themselves, meaning it can be difficult for employees to challenge inappropriate behaviour in the workplace. One of Mr Warburton’s alleged victims worked for him. His wife is his office manager.
Last night The Sunday Times reported that ‘at least one’ of the 70 complaints is ‘believed to involve criminality and concerns an allegation than an MP bribed a member of staff in return for sexual favours’.
In the ‘Pestminster’ scandal, which followed the MeToo movement, Sir Michael Fallon, Charlie Elphicke and Stephen Crabb were among MPs who faced allegations of sexual impropriety. The ICGS was set up in the wake of a spate of the scandals.
Jess Phillips, Shadow Minister
for Domestic Violence and Safeguarding, said the reports last night were ‘harrowing’, adding: ‘There continues to be a serious power imbalance in Westminster. More needs to be done.’
Caroline Nokes, the Conservative MP who chairs the Women and Equalities committee, said: ‘I have long been concerned that the ICGS would not deliver all that we wanted it to and that there is still a pervasive culture of misogyny, harassment and unacceptable sexual behaviour that is all too prevalent at Westminster.’
Last week the Procedure committee decided not to go ahead with an inquiry into banning MPs accused of sexual misconduct from the parliamentary estate.
Last night, a Government spokesman said: ‘We take all allegations of this nature incredibly seriously and would encourage anyone with any allegations to come forward to the relevant authorities.’
‘I’m worried this could be another Carl Beech’ ‘A culture of misogyny and harassment’