Ex-MP broke sexual conduct rules

FORMER LABOUR MP Mike Hill would have faced a suspension from the Commons for breaking Parliament’s sexual misconduct rules had he not quit his Hartlepool seat in March, it has emerged.

An Independent Expert Panel (IEP) found former Hartlepool MP Mr Hill committed two breaches of the rules in relation to his behaviour towards a woman in both his parliamentary office and his flat.

Mr Hill resigned as an MP before the panel could impose a sanction for his behaviour.

But the IEP report said that had he not resigned “we would have likely considered recommending the sanction of suspension from the House”.

The IEP was considering an appeal following a report by the Parliamentary Commission for Standards which found Mr Hill had acted in breach of Parliament’s Sexual Misconduct Policy in respect of one of the three allegations made by the woman. Both Mr Hill and the woman appealed and the IEP found that he had actually breached the rules in two of the three allegations.

Mr Hill was notified of the panel’s decision to reject his appeal on March 5 and he resigned on March 16.

Commons Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, has decided that Mr Hill should be denied a parliamentary pass as a former member.