Woman sexually assaulted by MP condemns Labour’s complaints process | Labour

A woman who was repeatedly sexually assaulted by a Labour MP has condemned the party’s complaints procedures as “fake” and “a political stunt” after the launch of a separate inquiry into claims against Geraint Davies.

The former member for Hartlepool, Mike Hill, was found by a tribunal last year to have victimised his former staff member, known as Ms A, after she spurned his advances. She said the party had initially ignored her complaints, then tried to cover them up, and had offered her little support during a four-year fight for justice.

Her comments come after the party on Thursday received a formal complaint about Davies and launched an inquiry.

According to the news website Politico, the MP for Swansea West is accused of subjecting younger colleagues to unwanted sexual attention. Davies, 63, said he did not “recognise” the allegations, adding: “If I have inadvertently caused offence to anyone, then I am naturally sorry.”

Ms A, who was awarded £434,435 by a tribunal but has yet to receive more than 90% of it, said: “The Labour party did not help me when I first went to them. The party only reached out to contact me when I spoke to the media.

“I think they are launching this inquiry into Davies this week because they can see a general election coming and think there might be a snap election. They are doing this because they want to be seen to be doing the right thing. They move the goalposts when it suits them. They do not genuinely care for the victims.”

Hill, who was then married, conducted a campaign of sexual harassment and bullying against Ms A over a 16-month period in 2017 and 2018, according to a judgment. He was in breach of the Equality Act in subjecting the claimant “to unwanted conduct of a sexual nature”.

The breaches included: a telephone call in which he told the claimant he loved her; “getting into bed with the claimant on 11 December 2017 and rubbing his erection against her”; and “sexual assaults on occasions at the Westminster office”.

Hill resigned as a Labour MP in March 2021, resulting in a byelection in Hartlepool and a victory for the Conservatives.

Ms A submitted a complaint to Labour in September 2019 but received an automated response and was given no initial offer of advice. After a Sunday newspaper published a story about Hill’s alleged harassment, the party removed the whip, but then restored it in October despite an ongoing parliamentary inquiry into his behaviour, she said.

When she confided in the MP Andrew Bridgen about the harassment, he was warned away from backing the claimant by the Labour MP Kate Hollern, the tribunal was told. Hollern resigned her shadow ministerial post and apologised for the approach, saying it was not her intention to undermine support for Ms A.

“The party’s procedures were a sham, and I can’t believe they have recently improved,” Ms A said.

Suzanne McKie KC, who represents Ms A, said MPs are covered by a £5m insurance policy if they are sued for libel or slander, but by a £250,000 policy if an employee claims sexual harassment. She said nearly all of the £250,000 insurance policy that the Commons had put in place in Ms A’s case had been spent on Hill’s legal fees.

“The bigger picture is that MPs’ employees who are subjected to sexual harassment and are forced out of their jobs cannot receive proper compensation because of the limited nature of the MPs’ insurance policy. It is a scandal,” she said.

Labour’s general secretary, David Evans, has said a review has been launched into the complaints process after previous incidents, including an aide receiving a warning after allegedly groping a junior staff member.

In an email sent on Thursday, he said: “Since the stories two weeks ago, it has been my urgent focus that we review the formal processes through which our colleagues can report such behaviour, how we work together with independent complaints bodies to ensure rigorous outcomes and protection for staff while investigations are ongoing, and how we can create a culture in which colleagues feel safe and encouraged to make a complaint if they need to.”

A Labour party spokesperson said: “An independent complaints process has been introduced by the party that ensures there is a wide range of support available to complainants, to provide confidence and confidential guidance throughout the disciplinary process.

“We would strongly urge anyone with a complaint to come forward.”