This article is from the source 'independent' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/sir-peter-hendy-the-tube-boss-a-golf-society-and-a-night-of-exciting-tight-dresses-10045715.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Sir Peter Hendy: The Tube boss, a golf society, and a night of 'exciting tight dresses' Sir Peter Hendy: The Tube boss, a golf society, and a night of 'exciting tight dresses'
(2 days later)
The London Mayor, Boris Johnson, was facing demands tonight to discipline his transport chief for attending a “sexist” men-only dinner where the only women present were waitresses, can-can dancers and “a glamorous string quartet playing exciting music in even more exciting tight dresses”. The London Mayor, Boris Johnson, was facing demands last night to discipline his transport chief for attending a “sexist” men-only dinner where the only women present were waitresses, can-can dancers and “a glamorous string quartet playing exciting music in even more exciting tight dresses”.
Sir Peter Hendy, the Commissioner of Transport for London, was criticised by the Fawcett Society for attending the dinner of the all-male Transport Golfing Society.Sir Peter Hendy, the Commissioner of Transport for London, was criticised by the Fawcett Society for attending the dinner of the all-male Transport Golfing Society.
The CommonSpace website said that Sir Peter, 61, who receives a £348,000 salary, attended the December dinner in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Portman Square, London, as a guest of the Scottish-based bus company Alexander Dennis Ltd. Photos of the event posted on the society’s website showed a “handsome body of men enjoying their dinner” alongside another picture of female performers in thigh-cut dresses who were said to be bringing “a new spectacle to the dinner”. The CommonSpace website said Sir Peter attended the December dinner in the Radisson Blu Hotel in Portman Square, London, as a guest of the Scottish bus company Alexander Dennis Ltd. Photos of the event posted on the society’s website showed a “handsome body of men enjoying their dinner” alongside another picture of female performers in thigh-cut dresses who were said to be bringing “a new spectacle to the dinner”.
The golfing society’s rules state membership is open only to “gentlemen associated with the transport industry”, and that the dinner is “for gentlemen only”. Its website described the gathering as “one of the best sporting dinners of the year. With a glamorous string quartet playing exciting music in even more exciting tight dresses, a troupe of can-can dancers and a truly fun atmosphere”. It added: “Over the years we have been privileged to welcome top men from the worlds of sport, industry, show business and politics. They always enthusiastically wave their napkins to the patriotic sounds of ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ and leap enthusiastically to the feet when their table’s turn comes to sing ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’. Some even do the actions!” The golfing society’s rules state membership is open only to “gentlemen associated with the transport industry”, and that the dinner is “for gentlemen only”. Its website described the gathering as “one of the best sporting dinners of the year. With a glamorous string quartet playing exciting music in even more exciting tight dresses, a troupe of cancan dancers and a truly fun atmosphere”.
Janice Muir of the Fawcett Society said she would write to Mr Johnson about Sir Peter’s attendance at “an absolutely sexist event”. “We want Boris Johnson to take Sir Peter to task and issue an official reprimand,” she said. “This is a public sector figure serving Londoners, more than half of whom are women. To go to an event where the only women present are serving or entertaining while in ‘exciting tight dresses’ is to return to the dark ages.”Janice Muir of the Fawcett Society said she would write to Mr Johnson about Sir Peter’s attendance at “an absolutely sexist event”. “We want Boris Johnson to take Sir Peter to task and issue an official reprimand,” she said. “This is a public sector figure serving Londoners, more than half of whom are women. To go to an event where the only women present are serving or entertaining while in ‘exciting tight dresses’ is to return to the dark ages.”
A Greater London Authority spokesperson would not comment until Mr Johnson had received the Fawcett Society letter. A Transport for London spokesperson said Sir Peter was abroad and unavailable for comment, but added that his attendance at the dinner had been “publicly declared in accordance with policy”. Sir Peter said last night: “It never occurred to me there was a policy of excluding women and that hasn’t been referred to in the invitations I have received. Now it’s clear there appears to be such a policy I will on no account accept an invitation again.
Defending the 120-man Transport Golfing Society, Malcolm Allen, its honourable secretary, said: “I can categorically say we are not sexist. We are just a group of blokes who play golf together. Sir Peter absolutely should not be disciplined for attending the dinner.” Frank Silvester, 70, the society’s president, added: “We are in the process of changing and introducing corporate memberships, which I am sure will lead to women being society members and attending the dinner.” “I abhor sexism in any form and to see it apparently practised in this way is particularly inappropriate in an industry in which women are under represented and in which we are promoting careers, and equality, for women.”
He said he made a personal donation to the Fawcett Society yesterday and would be writing to Alexander Dennis Ltd “to make my views very clear and to invite them to dissociate from sexism in an industry that should be encouraging women to join it”.