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WPP drops charity event after sexual misconduct claims | WPP drops charity event after sexual misconduct claims |
(35 minutes later) | |
WPP, the world's biggest advertising agency, has said it is withdrawing support for the Presidents Club Charity Dinner after allegations of sexual misconduct at the 2018 event. | WPP, the world's biggest advertising agency, has said it is withdrawing support for the Presidents Club Charity Dinner after allegations of sexual misconduct at the 2018 event. |
WPP sponsored a table at last week's dinner, at which a Financial Times undercover reporter alleges hostesses were groped and sexually harassed. | WPP sponsored a table at last week's dinner, at which a Financial Times undercover reporter alleges hostesses were groped and sexually harassed. |
Boss Sir Martin Sorrell told the BBC his guests did not see such behaviour. | Boss Sir Martin Sorrell told the BBC his guests did not see such behaviour. |
But he added that his company would not support the event in the future. | But he added that his company would not support the event in the future. |
Sir Martin was not at this year's event and said: "I have never seen anything like that. | Sir Martin was not at this year's event and said: "I have never seen anything like that. |
"We checked with our people who were there at our table and they said they saw nothing of that kind - but we issued a statement saying that we won't support the charity in future, which is regrettable because it is a charity that supports numerous children's charities and has done a lot of good work." | "We checked with our people who were there at our table and they said they saw nothing of that kind - but we issued a statement saying that we won't support the charity in future, which is regrettable because it is a charity that supports numerous children's charities and has done a lot of good work." |
Hostesses 'shocked' | Hostesses 'shocked' |
Madison Marriage, an undercover reporter for the Financial Times who worked at the men-only event at London's Dorchester Hotel, says hostesses were not warned that they might be sexually harassed. | Madison Marriage, an undercover reporter for the Financial Times who worked at the men-only event at London's Dorchester Hotel, says hostesses were not warned that they might be sexually harassed. |
Ms Marriage told BBC Newsnight: "I was groped several times and I know there are numerous other hostesses who said the same thing happened to them. | Ms Marriage told BBC Newsnight: "I was groped several times and I know there are numerous other hostesses who said the same thing happened to them. |
"It's a hands up skirts, hands on bums but also hands on hips, hands on stomachs, arms going round your waist unexpectedly. | "It's a hands up skirts, hands on bums but also hands on hips, hands on stomachs, arms going round your waist unexpectedly. |
"This isn't, I suppose, a high-level groping, but one of the strangest things was you could be talking to a man and he'd suddenly start holding your hand. | "This isn't, I suppose, a high-level groping, but one of the strangest things was you could be talking to a man and he'd suddenly start holding your hand. |
"I knew stuff like that might happen on the night but I wasn't 100% sure. But there are plenty of other women there who had absolutely no idea that was the kind of event it would be and I had one woman tell me that she was shocked. She was asked if she was a prostitute on the night." | "I knew stuff like that might happen on the night but I wasn't 100% sure. But there are plenty of other women there who had absolutely no idea that was the kind of event it would be and I had one woman tell me that she was shocked. She was asked if she was a prostitute on the night." |
Ms Marriage said that the 130 hostesses were told to wear skimpy black outfits with matching underwear and high heels and also that they could drink alcohol while working. | Ms Marriage said that the 130 hostesses were told to wear skimpy black outfits with matching underwear and high heels and also that they could drink alcohol while working. |
'Completely different' | |
Newsnight's political editor, Nicholas Watt, said he understood that new Education Minister Nadhim Zahawi was present, but that he left early because he felt "it was a bizarre and uncomfortable event". | |
Mr Watt added: "It's worth pointing out that he has been to the event before - that's before he was elected an MP in 2010 - but as I understand it, he felt that the event then was completely different to the event that he attended last week." |