Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Charities and unions call for Tory MP suspension

Charities and unions call for Tory MP suspension

A group of women's charities and unions are calling on Parliament to step in and suspend a Conservative MP after he was arrested over rape allegations.

The unnamed man in his 50s was arrested on Saturday and later released on bail.

The former minister has not been suspended by the Tories, with the party saying it was right for the police to investigate the claims.

In a joint statement, the groups said it showed "party politics was still interfering in justice and fairness".

A Tory Party spokeswoman said: "We take any complaint incredibly seriously."

A spokesman from the House of Commons said they could not comment on specific cases, but said "sexual harassment has no place" in Parliament, adding: "We take the safety of our staff seriously and are ensuring that any necessary measures are taken in respect of our employees."

For an MP to be suspended by Parliament, a complaint needs to be considered by the House's Commissioner for Standards and an independent expert panel.

If the complaint is considered to be serious enough for suspension or expulsion, the panel will make the recommendation to the Commons and MPs will vote on it.

However, Parliament is on recess until 1 September, and votes can only take place when it is sitting.

'Minimising violence'


The statement calling for action was issued by the TUC, Centenary Action Group, the Fawcett Society, Women's Aid and unions representing parliamentary staff (Unite, Prospect, PCS and FDA).

It accused the government of "minimising violence against women and girls" by allowing the MP to keep the Conservative whip, saying there was a "failure to believe victims and survivors when they bravely speak out".

The statement added: "Given the seriousness of the allegations, we're calling on Parliament to suspend the MP arrested on suspicion of rape, pending a full investigation.

"The House of Commons should be no different from any other workplace. Safety and the safeguarding of staff must be paramount."

As well as calling for parliamentary intervention, the groups urged the Conservatives to remove the whip - meaning he would no longer be able to sit as a Tory MP.

They also said all political parties should revise their own internal sexual harassment and complaint policies "to ensure that they are transparent, quick, victim-focused and independent".

What stops the media from naming rape suspects?




The police usually do not name suspects before charging them and there are two powerful parts of the law which deter the media from naming them.

Firstly, an alleged victim has automatic right under statute to lifelong anonymity. That right can only be waived in writing by the victim.

The media must therefore be careful not to add to a "jigsaw" identification and so must limit publishing any details which could help identify an alleged victim.

There are also strong privacy reasons for not naming. Cliff Richard's 2018 legal action against the BBC (and later cases) established that individuals under investigation by the state have a reasonable expectation of privacy in relation to the fact of an investigation and its details up until they are charged.

That can be displaced but only if there are sufficient public interest grounds to name the suspect. It is a balancing act which different parts of the media, advised by their different lawyers, view differently.

Which is why some parts of the media may decide to name more quickly than others.

The Conservatives' Chief Whip, Mark Spencer, defended the party's decision not to withdraw the whip on Monday, saying it "didn't want to do anything to identify the victim".

Speaking to reporters, he said the allegations were "very serious" and it was up to the police to investigate them.

"Once they've come to their conclusion, then we can assess where we're at and the position that the MP finds himself in," he said.

The Sunday Times, which first reported the story, said the complainant alleged the MP assaulted her, forced her to have sex and left her so traumatised that she had to go to hospital.

The newspapers said the allegations had been made by an ex-parliamentary employee.

The Metropolitan Police said it had launched an investigation into the allegations.

"On Friday, 31 July, the Metropolitan Police Service received allegations relating to four separate incidents involving allegations of sexual offences and assault," the force said in a statement.

"These offences are alleged to have occurred at addresses in Westminster, Lambeth and Hackney between July 2019 and January 2020."

Police said the man has been released on bail to return on a date in mid-August.

'Code of conduct'


It is understood that Mr Spencer spoke with the complainant in April, but he insists that she did not make any allegation of serious sexual assault.

According to sources, Mr Spencer had not known the "magnitude" of the allegations.

But a report in the Daily Telegraph suggested the woman became frustrated after they spoke that nothing was done.

It is also understood the Leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, was told by an MP in recent weeks about the claims - with sources saying he had said the woman should contact the police.

A Tory party spokeswoman said: "We have a code of conduct where people can report complaints in confidence.

"If a serious allegation is raised, we would immediately advise the individual to contact the police."

In 2016, the Commons approved changes to its procedures to end the practice of MPs being automatically identified by the Speaker if they were arrested.

Under the rules in force since then, the MP involved will be consulted and named in Parliament only if there is an issue of "parliamentary privilege or constitutional significance" at stake.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Trump Says Ukraine Can Fully Restore Borders with NATO Backing
Europe Signals Stronger Support for Taiwan at Major Taipei Defence Show
Germany Weighs Excluding France from Key European Fighter Jet Programme
Cyberattack Disrupts Check-in and Boarding Systems at Major European Airports
Björn Borg Breaks Silence: Memoir Reveals Addiction, Shame and Cancer Battle
When Extremism Hijacks Idealism: How the Baader-Meinhof Gang Emerged and Fell
JWST Data Brings TRAPPIST-1e Closer to Earth-Like Habitability
Trump Orders $100,000 Fee on H-1B Visas and Launches ‘Gold Card’ Immigration Pathway
France’s Looming Budget Crisis and Political Fracture Raise Fears of Becoming Europe’s “Sick Man”
Three Russian MiG-31 Jets Breach Estonian Airspace in ‘Unprecedentedly Brazen’ NATO Incident
European manufacturers against ban on polluting cars: "The industry may collapse"
Turkish car manufacturer Togg Enters German Market with 5-Star Electric Sedan and SUV to Challenge European EV Brands
Christian Brueckner Released from German Prison after Serving Unrelated Sentence
World’s Longest Direct Flight China Eastern to Launch 29-Hour Shanghai–Buenos Aires Direct Flight via Auckland in December
New OpenAI Study Finds Majority of ChatGPT Use Is Personal, Not Professional
The conservative right spreads westward: a huge achievement for 'Alternative for Germany' in local elections
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Nayib Bukele Points Out Belgian Hypocrisy as Brussels Considers Sending Army into the Streets
France, at an Impasse, Heads Toward Another Government Collapse
×