If Theresa May thought this was permissible, perhaps she isn’t the right person to decide whether Conservative MPs are guilty of sexual harassment or worse [Image: Getty].
Now, according to the Guido Fawkes blog, it seems her aides have provided a handy spreadsheet for her, listing them by name and detailing what they have done – and continue to do.
Unfortunately, the right-wing blog has blacked out the names of those involved. While we know they have accuracy issues over there, it is to be hoped this is simply to avoid legal challenge in the absence of the corroborating evidence needed to back up the allegations. Here’s the redacted list:
As you can see, there are a lot of blanks to be filled in.
The Sunday Times has gone a little way towards remedying this. With its website hidden behind a paywall, This Writer has to rely on the good graces of people on the social media to provide information like the following:
Grim, yet unsurprising, reading from the Sunday Times pic.twitter.com/EJTJdx6eHs
— Dawn Foster (@DawnHFoster) October 29, 2017
For those who can’t read text in image files:
Two senior cabinet ministers have been named by female MPs, researchers and journalists as serial sex pests.
One man who is now a serving cabinet minister placed his hand on the thigh of a senior female journalist in full view of his frontbench colleagues at a party conference dinner some years ago and announced: “God, I love those tits.”
A second senior cabinet minister had an affair with a junior female aide who is also an MP. Downing Street is concerned that if either man is forced to resign it will destabilise the government.
Female MPs were this weekend also sharing details of a former Tory minister who propositioned his young secretary by asking her to “come and feel the length of my dick”. When the same MP was first elected, his female colleagues told each other: “Don’t get into a lift with him.” He then formed a “shagging double act” with a party grandee who has now left the Commons.
On the Labour benches the MPs facing exposure include one who was thrown off a foreign trip for making “inappropriate” approaches to a young woman and an MP who has been tipped as a leadership contender, who is known to female researchers as “Happy Hands”.
A Liberal Democrat peer’s career is also in danger after inviting a succession of female journalists to lunch while insisting that they wear knee-high boots and short skirts.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has acted swiftly to make clear his party’s position:
Jeremy is right sexual assault 'thrives' in Parliament.
MPs who sexually harass women must be held to account. pic.twitter.com/AokbrgE1wj
— For The Many (@ForTheMany2020) October 28, 2017
But the Tories aren’t nearly as forthcoming. The reason? Consider this:
Westminster harassment: Tory minister admits the way the Conservative party deals with sleaze is by keeping quiet about it. pic.twitter.com/LIfmL97scq
— Ben Claimant 💚 #joinaunion (@imajsaclaimant) October 29, 2017
This confirms that the situation in the Conservative Party hasn’t changed since the 1970s, when Tim Fortescue was a party whip. He explained the situation in the 1990s:
BBC 1995: Whips have been known to use blackmail to keep MPs in line for decades. Tim Fortescue spoke of "scandels with small boys". pic.twitter.com/IEtNvepHsO
— 3.5% – "I Daniel Blake" ≥ 🧢 (@Unicorn_999) October 29, 2017
And what is Theresa May doing, now that she knows we know at least part of what she knows?
She’s passing the buck, writing to the Commons Speaker, John Bercow, as follows:
Unwanted sexual behaviour is unacceptable in any walk of life. We must stamp it out. My letter to @HouseofCommons Speaker pic.twitter.com/oPLltr5gKS
— Theresa May (@theresa_may) October 29, 2017
She writes:
“I am sure that you will share my concern at recent media reports regarding the alleged mistreatment of staff by some Members of Parliament.”
Meaning: “We’ve been trying to keep it quiet but the media have found out anyway.”
“I believe it is important that those who work in the House of Commons are treated properly and fairly, as would be expected in any modern workplace.”
“I was quite happy to keep quiet about my sex pest MPs before, but now it is more convenient to make a show of taking action.”
“Much has already been done including a 24/7 external confidential phone line as well as an online portal and an HR Advice Service for MPs. However, I believe that we must now go further.”
“… for the sake of appearances.”
“As you know, there is a suggested disciplinary procedure provided by IPSA as part of the standard contract. However, it does not have the required teeth as contractually an MP does not have to follow the procedure.”
“I was perfectly happy with this up until now, as it suited my own purposes.”
“I do not believe that this situation can be tolerated any longer. It is simply not fair on staff, many of whom are young and in their first job post-education.”
“Not that I cared much about that before yesterday.”
“I know that Government Chief Whips Gavin Williamson, Mark Harper and Sir George Young (now Lord Young of Cookham) have been at the forefront of efforts to bring clarity to this area.”
“Gavin Willliamson has been bringing me clarity on a weekly basis with his “Ins and Outs” reports. I knew about all the activities of my MPs and did nothing because it suited my purposes.”
“In 2014 the Conservative Party offered MPs a code of conduct on a voluntary basis. However, this does not have legal standing and is therefore not fit for its intended purpose.”
“It was never intended to be.”
“The Conservative Party is determined to protect those staff who work for MPs, but in order to do so effectively I believe that we must establish a House-wide mediation service complemented by a contractually binding grievance procedure available for all MPs irrespective of their party banner.”
“These procedures would kick any grievances into the long grass, and we could force confidentiality on those taking part.”
“It is vital that staff and the public have confidence in Parliament and resolving this employment irregularity on a cross-party basis can play an important role in this.”
“Appearances are everything.”
A commenter has stated that this should propel Mrs May out of Downing Street.
That will only happen if the public continues to highlight her hypocrisy on this issue – most particularly by seeming to harbour sex criminals.
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