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Labour challenges bullying claims Clegg: Bullying claims 'serious'
(about 3 hours later)
Labour has gone on the offensive over Gordon Brown's temperament after an anti-bullying charity said it had been contacted by staff from his office. Allegations staff at Gordon Brown's office contacted an anti-bullying charity are "very serious", says Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg.
The prime minister's Parliamentary aide called for evidence of the calls from the National Bullying Helpline. Mr Clegg told the BBC the allegations had to be "cleared up by No 10".
Charity boss Christine Pratt has said she spoke out in anger at government denials of staff mistreatment in No 10. Charity boss Christine Pratt said she had not said staff had accused Mr Brown of being a bully but was concerned about a denial of any problem by No 10.
The Observer had reported that civil service head Sir Gus O'Donnell warned the PM about behaviour towards staff. But a patron of the National Bullying Helpline has resigned, saying she had breached confidentiality of callers.
Labour MP Anne Snelgrove - who is the prime minister's Parliamentary private secretary - said the charity "needs to demonstrate that these questions really have come from staff at Number 10". Workplace stress expert Professor Cary Cooper said it was "really important for any helpline or any counselling service is to retain confidentiality of the people calling up".
"Why is she [Ms Pratt] going public with this rather than taking it up privately if these phone calls were genuine?" The row follows allegations about Mr Brown's behaviour towards staff, in a book by the Observer's chief political commentator, Andrew Rawnsley, published in the newspaper on Sunday.
In 'denial' 'Demanding'
The charity's chief executive told the BBC that its helpline had been called three or four times by Downing Street staff in the last three or four years. Mr Rawnsley said the head of the civil service had been so concerned about the reports that he had a private word with the prime minister about his behaviour.
The stories have been denied by Downing Street and the Cabinet Office, and Business Secretary Lord Mandelson told the BBC on Sunday Mr Brown was "demanding" but "doesn't bully people".
But National Bullying Helpline chief executive Mrs Pratt contacted the BBC to say a flat denial was "non-credible" and sent out the wrong message to bosses facing bullying accusations.
NICK ROBINSON'S NEWSLOG The woman who told the BBC her National Bullying Helpline was called by three people who worked with the prime minister is now at the centre of a political storm Read Nick's latest blog in full Patron quits over 'bullying' row
She said her charity had been contacted - by phone and through people downloading information from its website - by staff within Gordon Brown's office.
She told the BBC on Monday she had never said Mr Brown was a bully, and, asked if anyone who contacted her had said Mr Brown had bullied them, she said: "Absolutely not, and nor have we said that Gordon Brown is a bully.
"Our concern here is the public statement from No 10 of denial.
"We would just want Gordon Brown and No 10 to lead by example.
"We would have hoped that Gordon Brown would have said that he was looking into this, that due process was being followed, and that he takes these issues seriously."
Confidentiality
Mr Brown's parliamentary aide Anne Snelgrove, who has had links with the charity, also criticised Mrs Pratt.
The Labour MP said she had severed those links when separate allegations had been made about the charity to her and Mrs Pratt had refused to meet her privately to discuss them - something Mrs Pratt denies.
Mrs Snelgrove said Mrs Pratt should demonstrate that "these calls really have come from staff at No 10" and questioned why she was going public with them.
Christine Pratt: Staff have concernsChristine Pratt: Staff have concerns
Ms Pratt added: "Over recent months we have had several inquiries from staff within Gordon Brown's office. "At no point in the past, has Christine ever raised those allegations with me," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
"Some have downloaded information; some have actually called our helpline directly and I have spoken to staff in his office." "And I don't believe she's done that with my neighbouring Labour MP, and obviously not with [Conservative MP and patron of the charity] Ann Widdecombe."
She said she would expect any employer in this situation not to "go into denial, but to look into it, to follow due process". She added: "I would've expected Christine to have raised them with at least one of us so that those allegations could have been taken up seriously because I take bullying at work seriously, as does the government, as does the civil service and we would want to react on any allegations of that type."
Outright denial could "compound the stress of those who believe they are being bullied", she said. 'Voiceless staff'
"We are not suggesting that Gordon Brown is a bully, what we are saying is staff in his office working directly with him have issues, and have concerns, and have contacted our helpline." Mr Clegg said: "The allegations that junior staff, voiceless staff, have been going to a national bullying hotline seems to me to be very important.
What Labour had hoped would be a one-day story is getting wind in its sails BBC deputy political editor James Landale "Bullying is wrong, it is totally out of order in whatever walk of life you work, however important you are."
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme
Downing Street said it had never been contacted by the charity about the allegations, a No 10 spokesman adding that it had "rigorous, well established procedures" for "staff to address any concerns over inappropriate treatment or behaviour".Downing Street said it had never been contacted by the charity about the allegations, a No 10 spokesman adding that it had "rigorous, well established procedures" for "staff to address any concerns over inappropriate treatment or behaviour".
"The civil service will continue to have a no tolerance policy on bullying," the spokesman said."The civil service will continue to have a no tolerance policy on bullying," the spokesman said.
Warning claim
Reports of Mr Brown's alleged mistreatment of staff appeared in extracts from a book by the Observer's chief political commentator Andrew Rawnsley.
The book includes details of incidents where it is alleged Mr Brown grabbed staff by the lapels, shoved them aside and shouted at them.
Downing Street says the reports are "malicious allegations" that are "without foundation".
I have not seen any of that behaviour in all the time I have been at No 10 or an MP Labour MP Anne Snelgrove
Responding to the allegations, Business Secretary Lord Mandelson said: "I don't think he so much bullies people as he is very demanding of people."
Other members of the cabinet rallied to the prime minister's defence, with Home Secretary Alan Johnson saying that in 17 years he had "never" heard Mr Brown raise his voice.
A Cabinet Office statement said: "It is completely untrue to say that the cabinet secretary ever gave the prime minister a verbal warning about his behaviour".
Mr Rawnsley told the BBC his source for the story was "24 carat".
'Non-political'
BBC deputy political editor James Landale said Ms Pratt's claims had "put paid" to Labour's hopes that "allegations about Gordon Brown's temper would fade once the Sunday papers were forgotten".
"What Labour had hoped would be a one-day story is now getting wind in its sails and disrupting even further the party's election plans."
Mrs Snelgrove questioned why the National Bullying Helpline had "popped up out of the blue when all of this is happening around Gordon".
NICK ROBINSON'S NEWSLOG The woman who told the BBC her National Bullying Helpline was called by three people who worked with the prime minister is now at the centre of a political storm Read Nick's latest blog in full
She added: "Life is too short to work for someone who is a bully and I would not be working for Gordon if he was a bully.
"I have not seen any of that behaviour in all the time I have been at No 10 or an MP."
Tory MP Ann Widdecombe is a patron of the charity, whose website also displays a statement of support from Conservative leader David Cameron.Tory MP Ann Widdecombe is a patron of the charity, whose website also displays a statement of support from Conservative leader David Cameron.
Lord Mandelson's Department for Business recommends the helpline to businesses.Lord Mandelson's Department for Business recommends the helpline to businesses.
The charity says it is non-political, and the BBC has found no evidence of any political involvement by Ms Pratt or the helpline.The charity says it is non-political, and the BBC has found no evidence of any political involvement by Ms Pratt or the helpline.
Ms Widdecombe said it would be "quite a good idea" for Sir Gus to take "an informal look" at workplace conditions at No 10.Ms Widdecombe said it would be "quite a good idea" for Sir Gus to take "an informal look" at workplace conditions at No 10.
But she criticised Ms Pratt's decision to go public, saying the helpline was supposed to be confidential.But she criticised Ms Pratt's decision to go public, saying the helpline was supposed to be confidential.
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