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| MPs are sexually assaulting young staff members in Parliament, MP claims | MPs are sexually assaulting young staff members in Parliament, MP claims |
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| MPs are sexually assaulting young researchers who feel they have nowhere to turn, an MP has alleged. | MPs are sexually assaulting young researchers who feel they have nowhere to turn, an MP has alleged. |
| Labour MP John Mann told the House of Commons’ Standards Committee that sexual assault by politicians at Westminster is “a major issue”. He has called for a whistle-blowing service to be established to help victims come forward. | |
| Speaking to the committee, Mr Mann, MP for Bassetlaw, said: “In here [Westminster] there are alleged sexual assaults by current members of Parliament and nowhere for people to go, or they don’t feel confident in going. That’s a major issue.” | |
| He said: “Where there has been improper sexual behaviour in this building that I am aware of with members of staff by Members of Parliament, including in recent times, the last two years, and I have had complaints of that, the individuals do not feel comfortable or confident, working in a political environment, of raising that issue and explicitly did not want me to raise the issue and therefore potentially have them named.” | He said: “Where there has been improper sexual behaviour in this building that I am aware of with members of staff by Members of Parliament, including in recent times, the last two years, and I have had complaints of that, the individuals do not feel comfortable or confident, working in a political environment, of raising that issue and explicitly did not want me to raise the issue and therefore potentially have them named.” |
| Mr Mann outlined what he described as a “hypothetical” situation in which an MP might ask a female member of parliamentary staff to work late in the evening before pressuring her to go home with him. | Mr Mann outlined what he described as a “hypothetical” situation in which an MP might ask a female member of parliamentary staff to work late in the evening before pressuring her to go home with him. |
| Mr Mann said: “That is not a matter of criminality but [one] that would be potentially an issue for whistle-blowing to make a complaint. The cases I am aware of, there is no criminality otherwise it would be very straightforward. I would be advising go to the police. | Mr Mann said: “That is not a matter of criminality but [one] that would be potentially an issue for whistle-blowing to make a complaint. The cases I am aware of, there is no criminality otherwise it would be very straightforward. I would be advising go to the police. |
| “The issues where things are below the criminal threshold are, from what I have seen and heard, the significant issues, they are ones to do with behaviour. They ought to be handled within here.” | “The issues where things are below the criminal threshold are, from what I have seen and heard, the significant issues, they are ones to do with behaviour. They ought to be handled within here.” |
| The Standards Committee was holding an evidence session as part of a review of the Code of Conduct by which MPs are bound. | The Standards Committee was holding an evidence session as part of a review of the Code of Conduct by which MPs are bound. |