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| Who is 'handsy in taxis'? Spreadsheet of sexual allegations alarms Tories | Who is 'handsy in taxis'? Spreadsheet of sexual allegations alarms Tories |
| (about 12 hours later) | |
| List of 40 named Conservative MPs and ministers that details some potentially career-ending claims is being shared widely | |
| Peter Walker Political correspondent | |
| Tue 31 Oct 2017 15.37 GMT | |
| Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 14.34 GMT | |
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| It is a list that nobody wants to be on: a spreadsheet with the names of 40 Tory MPs and ministers and allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct, almost all of which are unverified. | It is a list that nobody wants to be on: a spreadsheet with the names of 40 Tory MPs and ministers and allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct, almost all of which are unverified. |
| The document has been shared widely among MPs, staff and increasing numbers of journalists, and briefly describes some as having affairs, being “inappropriate” with female and male staff or in other cases as “handsy in taxis”. | The document has been shared widely among MPs, staff and increasing numbers of journalists, and briefly describes some as having affairs, being “inappropriate” with female and male staff or in other cases as “handsy in taxis”. |
| Some are allegations which, if proved to be true, could end a political career, such as serial inappropriateness and groping, to consensual affairs and sexual peccadilloes. | Some are allegations which, if proved to be true, could end a political career, such as serial inappropriateness and groping, to consensual affairs and sexual peccadilloes. |
| First leaked to the Guido Fawkes website with 36 names on it, the file has now expanded to 40, all Tory MPs, including 15 ministers of various ranks. | First leaked to the Guido Fawkes website with 36 names on it, the file has now expanded to 40, all Tory MPs, including 15 ministers of various ranks. |
| The allegations relating to two of the 40 MPs have already been aired publicly: those about the junior trade minister Mark Garnier, who asked a female staff member to purchase sex toys, and former minister Stephen Crabb, who sent “sexual chatter” messages to a 19-year-old woman who hoped to work for him. | The allegations relating to two of the 40 MPs have already been aired publicly: those about the junior trade minister Mark Garnier, who asked a female staff member to purchase sex toys, and former minister Stephen Crabb, who sent “sexual chatter” messages to a 19-year-old woman who hoped to work for him. |
| The bulk of the claims concern what is generally described in the very brief explanations as “inappropriate” behaviour, often with researchers or other parliamentary staff, occasionally journalists. | The bulk of the claims concern what is generally described in the very brief explanations as “inappropriate” behaviour, often with researchers or other parliamentary staff, occasionally journalists. |
| Most of those allegedly on the receiving end of such behaviour are women, but in a few cases it is men. | Most of those allegedly on the receiving end of such behaviour are women, but in a few cases it is men. |
| Some of the MPs are accused of being gropers, with several described as “handsy”. Drink is occasionally mentioned, with one backbencher described as “perpetually intoxicated and very inappropriate with women”. | Some of the MPs are accused of being gropers, with several described as “handsy”. Drink is occasionally mentioned, with one backbencher described as “perpetually intoxicated and very inappropriate with women”. |
| One MP is accused of being the subject of an injunction for inappropriate behaviour with a woman, while another, the list claims, made a former staff member have an abortion after she became pregnant by him. | One MP is accused of being the subject of an injunction for inappropriate behaviour with a woman, while another, the list claims, made a former staff member have an abortion after she became pregnant by him. |
| Elsewhere on the list – which often lapses into slightly old-fashioned language such as “impregnated” and “fornicated” – the actions which are described appear to be nothing more than consensual affairs and relationships. | Elsewhere on the list – which often lapses into slightly old-fashioned language such as “impregnated” and “fornicated” – the actions which are described appear to be nothing more than consensual affairs and relationships. |
| Other allegations are connected only to alleged sexual preferences, with no suggestion of harassment or wrongdoing. Others are vague, such as the entry for one MP which says: “Asked female researcher to do odd things.” | Other allegations are connected only to alleged sexual preferences, with no suggestion of harassment or wrongdoing. Others are vague, such as the entry for one MP which says: “Asked female researcher to do odd things.” |
| However varied the claims and thin the supporting evidence, the gradual spread of the list is unwelcome for Theresa May as she struggles to contain the fallout from reports which have now also seen her defence secretary, Michael Fallon, apologise for inappropriate behaviour towards a female journalist. | However varied the claims and thin the supporting evidence, the gradual spread of the list is unwelcome for Theresa May as she struggles to contain the fallout from reports which have now also seen her defence secretary, Michael Fallon, apologise for inappropriate behaviour towards a female journalist. |
| During a debate on the issue on Monday, some MPs raised concerns of a “toxic atmosphere” in parliament. | During a debate on the issue on Monday, some MPs raised concerns of a “toxic atmosphere” in parliament. |
| The leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, pledged that incidents of sexual harassment would not go unpunished, as she responded to an urgent question raised by the Labour MP Harriet Harman about allegations that have emerged in recent days. | The leader of the House of Commons, Andrea Leadsom, pledged that incidents of sexual harassment would not go unpunished, as she responded to an urgent question raised by the Labour MP Harriet Harman about allegations that have emerged in recent days. |
| On Sunday, May wrote to the Speaker, John Bercow, seeking an independent mediation service for staff wanting to raise concerns about MPs’ behaviour. | On Sunday, May wrote to the Speaker, John Bercow, seeking an independent mediation service for staff wanting to raise concerns about MPs’ behaviour. |
| Sexual harassment | |
| Conservatives | |
| Women in politics | |
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| House of Commons | |
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