Afternoon summary
Here are the main developments in the story about the Wesminster sexual misconduct allegations, including the main points from Andrea Leadsom’s Commons response to an urgent question on the topic.
- Leadsom, the leader of the Commons, has told MPs that parliament will take action “in days, not weeks” to make Westminster a safer environment for staff. Announcing details of a beefed-up helpline and support team system (see 5.07pm), she said the new system should cover all holders of parliamentary passes, including interns and people on work experience as well as clerks, civil servants, researchers and assistants.
- The Labour MP Tulip Siddiq has said the number of sexual misconduct cases at Westminster could run into the hundreds. (See 3.24pm.)
- John Bercow, the Commons speaker, has effectively rebuked Theresa May for suggesting that it was his responsibility to ensure MPs offer their staff a proper grievance procedure. In an open letter to the speaker yesterday May urged Bercow to do what he could to ensure all MPs offer their staff access to a proper grievance procedure. Although this is recommended by the independent parliamentary standards authority (Ipsa), it is not compulsory for MPs. (See 10.04am.) In a statement to MPs this afternoon, Bercow said this was a matter for party leaders, not for the Commons speaker. He said:
Members’ staff are of course employed by individual members. That means that they cannot simply be treated as if they were parliamentary employees. Nor of course can members ...
It does not require my intervention for the party to adopt an effective grievance scheme. I hope that all parties will rapidly and thoroughly review the arrangements they have in place to ensure that they are credible, enforceable, accessible, transparent and comprise an independent element. That latter notion that any complaint system and grievance procedure must satisfy constituents as well as colleagues strikes me as important.
Bercow spoke after the Evening Standard revealed that David Cameron had tried to get the Conservative party to adopt a rule saying its MPs had to offer staff a proper grievance procedure but that this has been opposed by the 1922 committee. (See 1.43pm.)
- Graham Brady, chair of the Conservative backbench 1922 committee, has rejected claims that his committee blocked moves to protect parliamentary staff from sexual harassment. The committee only objected to Cameron’s proposal because it wanted action taken on a House-wide basis, not a Tory-only basis, he said. (See 1.43pm.)
- Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, has said she “fully expects” sexual harassment allegations to come out about SNP politicians. (See 5.02pm.)
- The Labour MP Jess Phillips has told MPs that male colleagues are not taking the sexual misconduct allegations seriously. Speaking in the Commons she said:
As I walked in here, as I rushed in here today to come to this statement, I overheard two male colleagues walking through the halls wittering about a witch hunt that was going on in parliament.
So, I think that what we need to do in this building is not think of this as being a party political thing, but something that has to absolutely happen.
And we don’t just cheer when our side is the person getting attacked. We cheer when everybody is banged to rights.
- MPs have been told that the Commons authorities do not take sexual misconduct allegations. During the UQ the Labour MP Chi Onwurah said:
When I complained recently to an officer of parliament who had some responsibility in this area that I knew a number of researchers - male and female - who had been made to feel deeply uncomfortable in the sports and social club here [a parliamentary bar] by members of parliament, I was told that happens in pubs all over the country.
And the Plaid Cymru MP Liz Savile Roberts said:
A worker employed as staff of a member in this House told me today that she reported being sexually assaulted to the proper authorities earlier this year, who did nothing. She is deeply disappointed and distrustful, and she tells me that distrust is endemic.
Leadsom told Savile Roberts that the victim could take the case up with her directly, and she told Onwurah that she would be meeting Lord McFall, the senior deputy speaker in the Lords, tomorrow to discuss what happens in the sports and social club.
- Leadsom has condemned language used by John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, about Esther McVey, the Conservative former minister, as “incredibly despicable”. McVey asked Leadsom:
I’m delighted to hear the leader of the House will extend these to other forms of abuse. Will that include to those MPs who go on rallies endorsing the lynching of other MPs? It is an absolute disgrace that senior MPs go about their business getting violence against female MPs.
She was referring to a comment made by McDonnell in 2014, when he joked about some leftwingers wanting to lynch McVey. Leadsom replied:
She raises an incredibly important point, again, about the vital significance of what we do as MPs. And certainly, slogans about lynching other MPs is incredibly despicable behaviour that is occasionally encouraged and I think it is deeply regrettable, and we all need to look very carefully at what sort of behaviour we endorse in this House.
That’s all from me for today.
At this point I normally say thanks for the comments. We had to close them today because of the danger of people posting libellous allegations. With luck we will be back to normal tomorrow.
Updated
The broadcaster Julia Hartley-Brewer has issued a statement saying she once received unwanted sexual attention from a cabinet minister. She says she did not view this as serious sexual harassment, does not consider herself a victim and thinks what is happening now amounts to a “witch hunt”.
A statement from me on the Westminster sex pest rumour mill currently doing the rounds... pic.twitter.com/0NDAjPmZmJ
— Julia Hartley-Brewer (@JuliaHB1) October 30, 2017
Leadsom announces beefed-up helpline and support team to tackle Commons misconduct allegations
Here is the key extract from Andrea Leadsom’s statement, where she set out plans for a beefed-up helpline and support team to tackle Commons misconduct allegations.
It is clear that the current system is inadequate.
It is for parliament to come together to resolve this, but the government believes there should be some guiding principles:
First, as in any other workplace, everyone in parliament should have the right to feel at ease as they go about their work.
Second, whilst we have had a confidential helpline in place for several years, it must now be strengthened as a dedicated support team, made more accessible, given more resources, and its role and responsibilities highlighted to all who work here.
Third, the support team should have the ability to recommend onward referral of a case – to ensure appropriate investigation takes place.
Fourth, the support team should recommend specialised pastoral support for anyone who is experiencing distress as a consequence of their treatment in the workplace.
Fifth, the support team should recommend reporting any allegations, which may be criminal, directly to the police.
Sixth, and in addition, there may be further action which government and political parties themselves can take to ensure high standards of conduct and that inappropriate behaviour is properly dealt with.
This is the very least we can do.
Sturgeon says she 'fully expects' allegations to come out against SNP politicians
Nicola Sturgeon has said she “fully expects” sexual harassment allegations will emerge about Scottish National party politicians, as Holyrood announced new measures to combat misconduct cases.
As allegations emerged that sexual misconduct was rife at Holyrood, the first minister told reporters in Dundee she thought all parties would have to investigate harassment cases. She said:
I fully expect that we will have concerns coming forward, like every political party will, and we will investigate them, if they come forward, in an appropriate way.
Sturgeon said she did not know personally of any specific cases, yet the SNP was the only one of Holyrood’s five parties not to confirm in public on Monday that it had no known harassment allegations against its staff or politicians.
Holyrood executives said they had convened an urgent meeting of party leaders on Tuesday morning to review the parliament’s procedures, after acknowledging there had been a few reported cases at the parliament. The total number was “very low”, but that could mean many other incidents had gone unreported.
In a joint statement, Holyrood’s presiding officer, Ken Macintosh, and its chief executive, Sir Paul Grice, said they were also setting up a confidential staff hotline to report incidents or concerns. They would set up an anonymous survey to gauge the extent of the problem if the measure was supported.
No politician in Scotland has yet been accused by name of misconduct but the Record newspaper reported on Monday that women MSPs knew of at least three male MSPs guilty of “creepy” behaviour.
Updated
That’s it. The urgent question is over.
I will post a summary soon.
Labour’s Paula Sheriff says Philip Dunne, a health minister and former whip, said in an interview yesterday that what is said in the whips’ office stays in the whips’ office. Is that right?
Leadsom says “there is absolutely no covering up going on”. Anyone with knowledge of abuse would ensure it gets reported to the police, she says.
Labour’s Rachael Maskell says Leadsom should rethink her emphasise on mediation. That implies an equivalence of power.
Leadsom says she is not talking about mediation. She is talking about a grievance procedure, she says.
The SNP’s Gavin Newlands says other MPs must have been aware of these allegations. Does Leadsom agree that MPs who remain silent are culpable?
Leadsom says she does not agree that victims are at fault for failing to come forward.
Labour’s Liz McInnes asks if she will consider assertiveness training for staff, so they can tell the difference between high-jinks and harassment.
Leadsom says she will consider this. But she says assertiveness training is already available. She says she has sent her own staff on these courses.
The SNP’s Chris Stephens says many employers have an independent harassment policy. Is that being considered for the Commons?
Leadsom says there should be a two-House solution for parliament, with a standard grievance procedure.
The SNP’s Philippa Whitford says this is a problem of ‘undiluted power”.
Labour’s Luciana Berger says when she visits a school, he has to sign in. That does not happen at the Commons, even though visitors often stay late socialising.
Leadsom says she will be looking at this issue.
Philip Hollobone, a Conservative, asks how many people have contacted the existing helpline.
Leadsom says she does not know. But she will find out and tell MPs.
Labour’s Chris Bryant says when he was a young vicar a friend told him he had been raped by a senior member of the clergy. The friend was suicidal. The senior clergyman had protection, including from certain members of the royal family. Isn’t the best way to protect people by looking after the victim? And shouldn’t an HR person sit in on interviews?
Leadsom says this case is a terrible one. The Commons should protect all people who come to the Commons to work.
Mathew Offord, a Conservative, says bullying is systemic in the Commons. And will historical allegations be taken into account?
Leadsom says people should not be made to feel uncomfortable.
Labour’s John Mann asks if previous cases will be re-opened? Will the victim decide whether or not a case goes to the police? And will trade unions be allowed to represent victims?
Leadsom says she will consider all these points.
Labour’s Stella Creasy says MPs must tackle a culture of misogyny. What measures does Leadsom expect political parties to take to protect workers not just from criminal offences, but from offences that could lead to a harassment case?
Leadsom says she does not just want to target criminal activities. She is setting the barrier lower than that. She says perpetrators could lose their job.
Labour’s Liz Kendall says all parties should introduce independent reporting, so that people feel free to make complaints.
Leadsom says it is important to have a process of independent review. Otherwise you end up with parties marking their own homework, she says.
The Conservative MP Nusrat Ghani says MPs have a duty not to engage in sexist behaviour.
Leadsom says Ghani has suffered abuse herself for complaining about sexual harassment.
The Plaid Cymru Liz Saville Roberts says she spoke to a worker who complained to the authorities about being sexually assaulted earlier this year. The authorities did nothing. What can she say to her now?
Leadsom suggests the complainant should speak to her personally.
Labour’s Jess Phillips says she heard two male MPs complaining this was a “witch hunt” as she was coming into the chamber.
Esther McVey, a Conservative, asks if the new regime will include taking action against MPs who endorse the lynching of other MPs.
Leadsom says behaviour like this is “incredibly despicable”.
McVey was referring to John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, who at a public meeting in 2014 joked about some leftwingers saying they wanted to lynch McVey.
Labour’s Chi Onwurah says that when she recently complained to an officer of parliament who has some responsibility about young researchers being made to feel uncomfortable in the sports and social club (a Commons bar), she was told that happens in pubs all across the country.
Leadsom says she will be meeting Lord McFall, the senior deputy speaker in the Lords, to discuss the sports and social club tomorrow.
And here is the start of the Press Association story about Andrea Leadsom’s statement.
Westminster needs an independent support team able to deal with allegations of sexual harassment or abuse against people working in the Houses of Parliament, a cabinet minister has said.
Leader of the Commons Andrea Leadsom told MPs the current system for dealing with complaints is “inadequate” and that failure to respond properly risks bringing Westminster into disrepute.
Speaking in the Commons chamber with Prime Minister Theresa May by her side, Leadsom said there was a vital need for better support and protection for thousands of people working in the Palace and that action was needed “in days rather than weeks”.
Leadsom was speaking in response to an urgent question from Labour MP Harriet Harman following a rash of media reports about alleged misconduct by MPs, including international trade minister Mark Garnier, who is the subject of an internal inquiry by the Cabinet Office.
Labour’s Yvette Cooper says there is too much victim blaming in relation to these cases.
Leadsom agrees. She says victim blaming like this is “an appalling cultural trend”.
Nicky Morgan, the Conservative former education secretary, congratulates Theresa May for the way she is responding to this. (This is surprising because she is quoted in the Evening Standard saying May needs to get a grip. See 3.31pm.)
The SNP MP Pete Wishart says this is a moment for an institutional shift in the way the House of Commons deals with incidents like this.
Here is the Evening Standard’s Joe Murphy on John Bercow’s statement. (See 3.42pm and 3.52pm.)
Bercow deftly but firmly told May that she can't pass the buck to him, & it is for leaders to stop sexual harassment by their MPs.
— Joe Murphy (@JoeMurphyLondon) October 30, 2017
Valerie Vaz, the shadow leader of the Commons, welcomes the statement from Bercow and Leadsom.
She says Labour MPs have to sign a code of conduct.
She asks if Theresa May will respond to the issues in Dawn Butler’s letter. (See 2.49pm.)
Leadsom says May has not yet seen Butler’s letter. But she will look at this in due course.
Here is the Press Association story about John Bercow’s comments.
House of Commons Speaker John Bercow has challenged political parties to “live up to their responsibilities” as he called for change at Westminster amid what he called “disturbing” allegations about a “culture of sexual harassment”.
Bercow said Theresa May’s call for a Commons-wide mediation service and contractually-binding grievance procedure for MPs and staff should be considered.
But in a statement to MPs, he stressed: “In the first instance I hope that parties will live up to their responsibilities, demonstrating both an appetite for change and a practical means of delivering that change without delay.
“Make no mistake, there is a need for change.”
Bercow called on the Commons standards committee to beef up the code of conduct for MPs to include a new rule that “a member must treat all those who work in parliament with dignity, courtesy and respect”, as recommended by the parliamentary commissioner for standards.
Outlining steps he would take, the speaker said he would invite the Commons commission, which in 2014 provided a helpline for MPs’ staff to raise concerns, to consider what further measures it could take to toughen up the complaints regime.
And he said he would refer “the whole issue of sexual harassment” to the Commons reference group on representation and inclusion, which he established last year.
But he stressed: “Members’ staff are of course employed by individual members. That means that they cannot simply be treated as if they were parliamentary employees. Nor of course can members.”
Bercow said he was glad to see the prime minister, Jeremy Corbyn and other leaders acknowledge their responsibilities to deal with sexual misconduct within their parties.
He said the PM’s Sunday letter had “very candidly” admitted “the difficulties the Conservative party has had in introducing the sort of mandatory grievance scheme which some other parties have introduced in recent years”.
The speaker went on: “It does not require my intervention for the party to adopt an effective grievance scheme.
“I hope that all parties will rapidly and thoroughly review the arrangements they have in place to ensure that they are credible, enforceable, accessible, transparent and comprise an independent element.
“That latter notion that any complaint system and grievance procedure must satisfy constituents as well as colleagues strikes me as important.”
Concluding, Bercow added: “I hope I have the support of the House in calling for these issues to be resolved swiftly and decisively. It should not require endless debate and discussion. For my part as speaker I am happy to do whatever I can. Others must do likewise.”
Updated
Anna Soubry, a Conservative, says we need change. She says she welcomes the idea that there will be an independent grievance procedure. Will Leadsom accept that all passholders should be covered, and all types of abuse?
Leadsom agrees.
Leadsom is responding to Harman.
She says she agrees about the need to stamp this behaviour out.
Leadsom was responding to an urgent question from Harriet Harman, the Labour former deputy leader.
Harman says no one should have to work in an environment of “sleazy, toxic or sexist banter”.
Does Leadsom agree all parties should agree what is acceptable, she says.
She says it is almost impossible for someone at the bottom of the system to complain about someone at the top.
A young researcher may fear that, if she makes a complaint, she will never get another job.
A young journalist will know that if she makes a complaint, her career will be damaged.
So complainant anonymity is essential.
Harman says no one was elected to engage in sleazy behaviour. Now is the time to stop this.
Andrea Leadsom's statement
Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the Commons, is speaking now.
She says the current system is inadequate.
As in any other workplace, people working in parliament should feel at ease.
She says the confidential helpline needs to be strengthened. It needs a support team.
The support team should have the ability to refer a case onwards, she says.
She says it should be able to provide pastoral support.
It should pass on serious allegations to the police, she says.
And she says political parties need to strengthen their procedures.
Bercow implies it is up to Tories, not him, to beef up code of conduct for their MPs
John Bercow, the speaker, is making a statement now.
He says there must be zero tolerance of sexual harsssment or bullying, here or elsewhere.
If there have been assaults, they should be reported to police, he says.
He says the House of Commons commission has a duty to provide a safe place of work.
In 2014 it set up a helpline. And Bercow says he has consistently supported the establishment of networks to help staff.
- Bercow says the House of Commons commission will consider if further measures are necessary.
- He says he will refer this issue to the Commons reference group on representation and inclusion.
Bercow says Theresa May’s letter talks about the difficulty in introducing a mandatory grievance scheme. But that is not for him to enforce, he says.
- Bercow says political parties should have mandatory grievance schemes for MPs’ staff. He appears to be criticising the Conservatives for dragging their feet on this. (See 1.43pm.)
Bercow says make no mistake, there is a need for change.
Here is the latest Evening Standard splash on the Westminster sexual misconduct allegations.
Our second edition @EveningStandard on today’s developments in the sexual harassment furore at Westminster pic.twitter.com/6EcwJyDrm5
— George Osborne (@George_Osborne) October 30, 2017
Nicky Morgan, the Conservative former education secretary, is the person quoted in the story as saying Theresa May needs to “get a grip on this now”.
Labour MP Tulip Siddiq says Westminster sexual misconduct cases could run into hundreds
On BBC News the Labour MP Tulip Siddiq has just said that . Asked how widespread the sexual misconduct problem was at Westminster, and whether the number of cases ran into the tens or the hundreds, she replied:
It’s hard to say. But what I do know is that it’s gone past this gossip or scaremongering or whatever you want to call it. It’s not gossip anymore. I’m hearing first hand from people who are saying that they have been either sexually abused, or if you like people have tried it on with them who are MPs. So it’s not gossip anymore. This is a serious problem.
Pressed on the numbers, she replied:
People I’ve heard it from is in the tens, but that’s people telling me personally. But if you investigate this and delve deeper into it, I think it probably will be in the hundreds. And that’s deeply worrying.
Nicola Sturgeon has written to the Holyrood’s presiding officer, Ken Macintosh, asking him to consider a cross-party meeting to review its anti-harassment processes and to reassure staff there is a zero tolerance approach to sexual misconduct.
Sturgeon’s letter follows reports in the Record on Monday that at least three unnamed male MSPs are notorious amongst female MSPs and staff for their “creepy” behaviour. The paper quoted one woman MSP saying: “It is rife. And it isn’t just between staff and their employees – it is male MSPs towards younger female MSPs. And it cuts across party divides.”
Aamer Anwar, a prominent civil rights lawyer, told BBC Radio Scotland on Monday that male MSPs were guilty of “abject silence” because they knew of such incidents but had covered them up. He said victims had reported to him a “catalogue of abuse” ranging from cyber-stalking to physical assault.
No specific incidents or names of alleged perpetrators have yet come to light, but Sturgeon said she felt “deep concern” about the reports. In her letter to Macintosh, she added:
It is vital to ensure that robust procedures are in place so that individuals who raise concerns have confidence that they will be fully investigated in an appropriate manner. Indeed, we should expect a similar standard of protection to exist in every place of work across Scotland.
The Guardian contacted all five Holyrood parties on Monday to ask them whether they had received or investigated any complaints of sexual misconduct against one of their MSPs or staff members.
The four opposition parties, the Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Labour, the Scottish Greens and Scottish Lib Dems, all said they had not had any allegations or complaints made to them, nor investigated any cases against their MSPs or staff.
The Scottish National party did not answer that question directly, despite follow up requests to do so, stating only:
The SNP condemns all forms of sexual harassment or abuse in any workplace. It is not acceptable and we have a zero tolerance approach to this. If anyone has any complaints to make they should contact the police, parliamentary authorities or their party.
Labour suggests Stephen Crabb and Mark Garnier should have Tory whip withdrawn
Dawn Butler, the shadow minister for women and equalities, has released an open letter to Theresa May about the issue of sexual harassment involving MPs. In it she suggests that Stephen Crabb and Mark Garnier should lose the whip because of the revelations about them published yesterday and that action should be taken against Michael Gove for his Harvey Weinstein “joke” on the Today programme on Saturday.
Butler says:
Can you explain why the investigation into Mark Garnier appears to be confined to whether he broke the ministerial code at a time when he wasn’t a minister? Further, can you confirm that both he, and Stephen Crabb, will be investigated by the Conservative party and have the whip suspended while investigations into their conduct take place?
After your spokesperson expressed your ‘serious concern’ at reports of sexual harassment in Westminster on Friday, it was disappointing to hear the comments of a member of your cabinet, Michael Gove, on Radio 4 the next day, which made light of sexual abuse and rape. Abuse is the never the woman’s fault, and insinuating that those who experience it and come forward have lost any of their ‘dignity’ is inherently wrong and harmful. What action has been taken so that Mr Gove and others understand that ‘jokes’ like his make it harder for those who experience harassment to feel like they will be taken seriously if they speak out?
Nigel Farage, the former Ukip leader, has criticised Michel Barnier’s decision to meet Ken Clarke, Nick Clegg and Lord Adonis. (See 2.04pm.) Farage said:
It’s like an unholy Trinity going down and desperate to undermine the democratic Brexit vote. Especially so, as Clegg has no electoral mandate. That Michel Barnier is even meeting them shows those in Brussels cannot be trusted in these negotiations at all.
According to the BBC, Ken Clarke, the Conservative former chancellor, Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem former deputy prime minister, and the Labour peer Lord Adonis are in Brussels for a meeting with Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator. Given that Clegg has just published a book called How to Stop Brexit, and that Clarke and Adonis are also passionate pro-Europeans, one assumes that their intervention won’t be particularly helpful to the government.
.@nick_clegg, Ken Clarke and @andrew_adonis arrive in Brussels to meet @MichelBarnier, jokingly calling themselves "The Rebels". pic.twitter.com/4zlqkOkCAW
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) October 30, 2017
On his Facebook page ITV’s political editor Robert Peston says some Tories fear the sexual misconduct scandal could bring down the government. Here’s an extract.
The growing fear among Tory MPs is that the sexual-harassment scandal is evolving into the equivalent of the MPs’ expenses debacle - and that it could bring down the government.
It’s all the fault of that bloomin’ list of MPs and their alleged misdemeanours that was compiled by Tory aides and was published by the Guido website overnight, with names blacked at.
The blacking out is not preventing reputational damage to a pair of cabinet ministers and several other senior members of the government.
Their names are being openly touted in Westminster - and it won’t be long till they are outed on social media, and on offshore websites.
In the Evening Standard today Joe Murphy and Kate Proctor says the backbench Conservative 1922 committee opposed a bid by David Cameron to introduce a binding code of conduct for Tory MPs that would have strengthened the protections available to staff suffering harassment. Murphy and Proctor say:
The powerful 1922 committee of backbenchers mobilised against an attempt made by David Cameron to create a binding code of conduct that would have included a right for staff members to seek arbitration.
Mr Cameron attempted to persuade the speaker and other party leaders to support the measures following a sex scandal but his move met resistance from MPs, said sources.
The former prime minister then attempted to get his own MPs to sign up voluntarily.
But this was blocked by the 1922 committee, which saw the plan as a whips’ plot to impose “central control” on backbenchers.
The story is on the front of the Standard under the headline - Revealed: How backbenchers blocked bid to shield staff from sex pests.
Today’s @EveningStandard: Spacey & Westminster abuse allegations inc how 1922 Com blocked mandatory grievance procedure + Hamilton’s win pic.twitter.com/WzoMnrljsD
— George Osborne (@George_Osborne) October 30, 2017
In its editorial the Standard, which of course is edited by Cameron’s close ally, George Osborne, says:
Claiming outrage, the 1922 backbench committee wrote to all Tory MPs recommending they refuse to sign up to the voluntary code — and said they’d seek legal advice to prevent the initiative.
The 1922 committee claimed that they were protecting the freedom of their members of parliament; instead their poor judgment has left those MPs exposed.
On the World at One Graham Brady, the 1922 committee chairman, has just described the Standard headline as misleading. He said the committee took the view that employment contracts between MPs and their staff did not relate to party politics.
What was wrong was the proposal that this would be done by the political party. What is absolutely right is the House of Commons ought to provide the necessary advice and be prepared to fund arbitration should there be a dispute between a member of parliament and a member of staff with a grievance.
Brady also said the Conservative party constitution makes it clear that anyone who brings the party into disrepute can be disciplined.
The clock it ticking again towards another deadline for Northern Ireland’s politicians today. If by the end of Monday the main parties represented in the Stormont Assembly fail to reach a deal that could restore power sharing, Northern Ireland secretary James Brokenshire warns that he will be forced to impose a budget on the region.
Yet while party leaders talk about reaching the 11th hour or crying crisis, there appears to be little concern among the Northern Irish public over the failure to secure an agreement that would restore power sharing.
In fact wherever you go, whenever you raise the political deadlock in Belfast, there is only one theme most people want to talk about - politicians’ pay.
Members of the legislative assembly at Stormont earn around £49,000 per annum plus generous expenses and this is in a region with low pay.
On radio talk shows and phone-ins the public appear to want to MLA’s wages either frozen completely or cut dramatically if they fail to agree on a functioning executive.
In response to public frustration over MLA’s pay the leader of the cross-community Alliance party, Naomi Long, today suggested a 30% pay cut of hers and all other Assembly members’ salaries.
Long has argued that if 70% of MLA’s work is in their constituencies and not at Stormont then the local politicians can keep that part of their wages. That is of course unless there is a deal by this evening to restore power sharing - a prospect that appears increasingly unlikely.
Cabinet to discuss Brexit planning tomorrow, including for a 'no deal'
And this is what was said at the Number 10 lobby briefing on other issues.
- David Davis, the Brexit secretary, will lead a discussion on Brexit planning at cabinet tomorrow, Number 10 said. The prime minister’s spokesman said:
[The discussion] is looking at Brexit preparations for all contingencies. That obviously does include ‘no deal’, but as the prime minister has said on many occasions, we are working towards getting a deal and we are confident that we will do so.
- The spokesman insisted that there was now “momentum” in the Brexit talks process - despite reports claiming that dates for a fresh round of talks have not been established because the UK has been dragging its feet. Asked about these reports, the spokesman said that was a matter for the Brexit department. But he rejected claims that momentum was flagging. He said:
We have said we wanted to create momentum. We believe that momentum has been achieved. You will know from the European council that discussions are now taking place amongst the 27, making their internal preparations for the next phase. In terms of the specifics of what Michel Barnier and David Davis’s teams will do next, those conversations will take place.
- The Home Office has published a report on deaths in police custody, and the government’s response. In it, Amber Rudd, the home secretary, says she is beefing up police disciplinary rules so that officers cannot avoid disciplinary hearings by leaving the force. She says:
When things go wrong, swift action is needed to expose and tackle any misconduct. Action must be open, fair and robust. We will implement legislation later this year to extend the disciplinary system to former officers so that, where serious wrongdoing is alleged, an investigation and subsequent disciplinary proceedings can continue until their conclusion, even where an officer has left the force. We will also make publically available a statutory police barred list of officers, special constables and staff who have been dismissed from the force and are barred from policing.
- Theresa May has been meeting Carwyn Jones, the Welsh first minister, in Downing Street.
- James Brokenshire, the Northern Ireland secretary, will make a statement to MPs later this week about attempts to restore power sharing in Northern Ireland. If, as expected, the UK government has to impose a budget on the region, legislation will have to be introduced in the Commons this week, the spokesman said.
Updated
What No 10 says about the Westminster sexual harassment allegations
Here are main points from what was said at the Downing Street lobby briefing about the Westminster sexual harassment allegations.
- Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the Commons, is to make a statement about the issue to MPs this afternoon. And Theresa May will be in the Commons to hear the statement to show how seriously she takes this, May’s spokesman told journalists.
- Downing Street has refused to say the prime minister has full confidence in Mark Garnier, the international trade minister. The prime minister’s spokesman said the Cabinet Office was investigating the reports about his behaviour to see whether he breached the ministerial code and that it would be inappropriate to comment before that investigation has been concluded. Asked several times if the PM has full confidence in Garnier, the spokesman repeatedly sidestepped the question, saying he did not want to pre-empt the findings of the Cabinet Office inquiry. The spokesman did not say who in the Cabinet Office was carrying out the inquiry, or when it would concluded, but he said May wanted it to be finished “as quickly as possible”. Garnier was not a minister in 2010, when he asked his assistant to buy sex toys and called her “sugar tits”, but the spokesman dismissed suggestions that this meant the ministerial code did not apply, saying the code was “very broad”. (Garnier does not dispute the facts of what happened, but there is a disagreement about the context. He does not accept that his conduct amounted to sexual harassment.)
- The spokesman suggested that ministers guilty of “unwanted sexual behaviour” should have to resign. He said:
The prime minister has been clear that this type of behaviour would be inappropriate if proven and that appropriate action should be taken.
Asked what he he meant by “this type of behaviour”, the spokesman said he was talking about “unwanted sexual behaviour”
- May has not asked for an investigation into allegations about unnamed Tory MPs and ministers set out in a dossier circulating at Westminster and reported by the Times (see 9.25am), the spokesman said. He said that May has not seen this dossier and, when asked if May wanted the allegations investigated, the spokesman said the only investigation he was aware of was the one into Garnier. He described the story as “newspaper speculation”. The spokesman said reports over the weekend that May had been shown a dossier about misconduct allegations against Tory MPs were not true. He also dismissed the idea that May receives a regular briefing about “sex pest” Tory MPs, but the point he seemed to be denying was that this briefing was institutionalised. He did not challenge the idea that the whips brief her on issues including the personal conduct of MPs.
- The spokesman dismissed claims that May was not taking sexual harassment allegations involving MPs seriously. He said that May was “deeply concerned” about the recent media reports relating to the mistreatment of staff in the Commons. That is why she wrote to the speaker about this (see 10.04am), he said. He also said May had responded “very quickly” to the allegations about Garnier. As soon as they were made public yesterday, she ordered the Cabinet Office investigation, he said.
Here is some Twitter comment from journalists at the Number 10 lobby briefing.
From the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn
PM’s official spokesman has refused to say she is confident none of her Cabinet have committed sexual misconduct. A bizarre state.
— Tom Newton Dunn (@tnewtondunn) October 30, 2017
From the Daily Mail’s Jason Groves
Not looking good for Mark Garnier. No 10 refusing to say whether PM has confidence in him pending Cabinet Office inquiry into vibrator claim
— Jason Groves (@JasonGroves1) October 30, 2017
It looks as if Harriet Harman, the former Labour Labour deputy leader, has got her wish. She posted this on Twitter earlier.
I'm asking The Speaker to order Commons Leader @andrealeadsom to come to The House to answer questions on action to end sex abuse in Parlt
— Harriet Harman (@HarrietHarman) October 30, 2017
Leadsom to address MPs on sex misconduct claims as PM refuses to back trade minister Mark Garnier
I’m just back from the Number 10 lobby briefing. It was dominated by questions about sexual harassment at Westminster. Here are the main points.
- Andrea Leadsom, the leader of the Commons, is to make a statement about the issue to MPs this afternoon.
- Downing Street has refused to say the prime minister has full confidence in Mark Garnier, the international trade minister. The prime minister’s spokesman said that the Cabinet Office was investigating the reports about his behaviour to see whether he breached the ministerial code and that it would be inappropriate to comment before that investigation has been concluded.
- May has not seen the dossier of misconduct reported by the Times (see 9.25am), the spokesman said, and has not asked for those allegations to be investigated.
I will post a full summary shortly.
Updated
The Scottish government has today published a report looking at the impact of UK welfare policy on disabled people. It says that, while 45% of those moving from disability living allowance (DLA) to the personal independence payment (PIP, the new benefit replacing DLA), will get more money, 44% will initially have their benefits reduced, or removed completely.
Around 30,000 people in Scotland could lose out, it says.
Based on current DLA to PIP re-assessment outcomes, around 30,000 disabled people in Scotland could lose entitlement to non means-tested disability benefits due to re-assessment to PIP once full rollout is complete.
I’m just off to the Number 10 lobby briefing now. I will post again after 11.30am.
Northern Ireland is inching towards direct rule from Westminster after the Democratic Unionist party (DUP) called on the secretary of state to set a budget for the region, the Press Association reports. The DUP made the call just hours before the latest deadline to restore power sharing at Stormont runs out. Sinn Fein, however, has said a deal could still be done, but insisted it must be “a deal for all in society and not just for the political leaderships of unionism”. The PA report says:
The parties have been warned they must reach agreement by the end of Monday or Northern Ireland secretary James Brokenshire will be forced to introduce a budget via Westminster.
Talks between the DUP and Sinn Fein paused on Friday for the weekend, without an agreement being reached.
On Monday morning, ahead of the resumption of talks, the DUP called on Brokenshire to set a budget to ensure a “measure of good government” in the region.
The party said it would not accept “a bad agreement cobbled together to suddenly suit the timetables of others”.
“Our position has not changed, we want to see an executive set up - we would have done it in March and sorted these issues in tandem,” said the party in a statement.
“Given Sinn Fein have dragged their feet over the last 10 months, the secretary of state should bring forward a budget to bring a measure of good government to Northern Ireland,” the statement added.
The DUP said it would continue the discussions as it believes “devolution is best for Northern Ireland”.
But it warned that it would not be a part of a “bad agreement cobbled together to suddenly suit the timetables of others”.
Sinn Fein’s Conor Murphy said while he believed a deal could still be done, it “needs to be a deal for all in our society and not just for the political leaderships of unionism”.
“If the political institutions are to be sustainable then they must be restored on the basis of equality, rights and respect. That requires an end to the DUP’s denial of rights citizens enjoy everywhere else on these islands, language rights, marriage rights and the right to a coroner’s court,” Murphy added.
Updated
Mark Garnier, the international trade minister who confirmed yesterday that he had once asked his assistant to buy sex toys and called her “sugar tits”, has received the backing of the chair of his local Conservative party. Both incidents happened in 201o. Asked about them, Howard Williams, Wyre Forest Conservative Association chairman, said Garnier had his support.
Williams said:
This happened seven years ago. I have been told the article in the Mail on Sunday is a fair account of what happened. I support Mark and I have nothing more to say.
Letwin proposes hypothecated tax rise for health and social care
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has published a report today about Philip Hammond’s options for the budget. As Richard Partington reports in the Guardian’s overnight story, it says Hammond has a black hole in his budget figures worth almost £20bn. Commenting on it on the Today programme this morning, Paul Johnson, the IFS director, said that Hammond would probably have to give up hope of getting the budget into balance by the middle of next decade. He said:
In the end we’re going to have to see a world in which he’s saying, ‘Look, I’m not absolutely fixated on this getting to balance by 2025, I’m going to take some risks with that because the pressure for everything else is so significant’.”
Sir Oliver Letwin, the Conservative former Cabinet Office minister, was also part of the same Today programme discussion. Letwin has been saying for some time that he thinks taxes should go up to generate more money for spending on health and social care, and on Today he said this tax increase should be hypothecated (set aside specifically for health and social care, instead of just going to government spending generally). He said:
What I think is more important than which tax is how it’s defined and how it’s used. It seems to me the public and parliament might well be willing to accept a tax which is hypothecated - in other words, is defined as being used specifically to increase social care and health service, in just the way that the local authority precept is. I think if we did that, that would command popular support because I think people do recognise that the pressures in social care and the health service are now to great.
My colleague Graeme Wearden has much more on the IFS report, and on reaction to it, on his business live blog.
Theresa May's letter to John Bercow about how parliament handles sexual misconduct allegations
For the record, here is full text of the letter that Theresa May sent to John Bercow, the Commons speaker, yesterday about how parliament handles sexual misconduct allegations.
Dear Mr Speaker,
Re. Treatment of Members’ staff
I am sure that you will share my concern at recent media reports regarding the alleged mistreatment of staff by some members of parliament. 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.
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.
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 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.
I know that government chief whips Gavin Williamson, Mark Harper and Sir George Young (now the Lord Young of Cookham), have been at the forefront of efforts to bring clarity to this area. 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.
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. It is vital that the 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.
I would be grateful if you would be able to use your office to assist me in doing all we can to ensure that the reputation of parliament is not damaged further by allegations of impropriety. To that end, I am of course happy to discuss this matter with you at your earliest convenience, and I am copying this letter to the leaders of the other political parties.
Yours sincerely,
The Rt. Hon. Theresa May MP
Updated
The Labour MP John Mann told LBC that he knew of four cases of “objectionable behaviour”, including two where women made complaints, one to her political party and one to the parliamentary authorities. One of the allegations “passes the criminal threshold” and one is “appalling”, he said.
He told LBC:
These are within the last couple of years, both of these, so we’re talking of actual complaints where the woman have, in one case, been told to get lost, it’s nothing to do with us, and in the other case, nothing is done and she’s not even got back to with a response, which shows how badly actual complaints are treated and these are serious complaints.
Mann said he was calling for the cases, which relate to two different parties but do not involve Conservatives, to be reopened. He added:
In one case, the police were involved and then the police couldn’t prosecute because the alleged assault took place abroad.
Over the last few months Theresa May must have been longing for the day when she would wake up and find the dominant story of the morning something other than Brexit. Well, it’s happened, but it won’t bring her much respite. The Harvey Weinstein affair has prompted people to speak out about long-suppressed allegations of sexual harassment, and worse, in a range of workplaces and this weekend the media spotlight turned on parliament.
In terms of specific allegations against individuals who have been publicly named, so far there have been relatively few. The international trade minister, Mark Garnier, is probably fighting for his job after it was revealed yesterday that he had asked a former assistant to buy sex toys and called her “sugar tits”. But there are many more allegations, of varying degrees of seriousness, doing the rounds. The Daily Mail splash says up to 13 MPs have been accused of misconduct. The Times (paywall) goes further, saying up to 40 MPs are named in a dossier accusing them of are accused of “making unwanted sexual advances or behaving inappropriately towards colleagues and junior staff”.
May sought to address this yesterday by writing to the Speaker calling for an independent mediation service for staff wanting to raise concerns about MPs’ behaviour. The issue is certain to be raised in the Commons chamber today, with the Tory MP Anna Soubry calling for an urgent statement from the Commons leader, Andrea Leadsom.
But May is vulnerable on two fronts. First, if sexual harassment has been a well-known and endemic problem at Westminster for so long, as is being alleged, why is she only acting now? And, while it is accepted that this is a problem for all political parties, May does have a particular difficulty; the dossier mentioned in the Times, and published in redacted form on the Guido Fawkes website, just relates to Tory MPs.
This is from the Times’ (paywall) summary of the dossier.
Those named in the researchers’ dossier include:
• A veteran Tory backbencher who is described as being “perpetually intoxicated and very inappropriate with women”;
• A current senior cabinet minister who is accused of being “handsy at parties” while another minister is said to have been nicknamed “Cop-a-feel”;
• A Conservative MP who is accused of agreeing a “non-disclosure” settlement with another politician’s researcher.
It includes claims of sexual misconduct against 37 male and female politicians, including sexual harassment allegations and reported extramarital affairs. More than 25 are alleged to have been “inappropriate with female researchers”.
A prominent female MP is accused of having extramarital sex with young male researchers. At least two MPs are accused of getting their mistresses pregnant, with one allegedly paying for her to have an abortion. Other MPs have reportedly had sex in their private offices in Westminster while two Conservative politicians are accused of using the services of prostitutes.
Here is the Guardian’s overnight story.
And this is how the newspaper front pages are covering the story.
MAIL: Commons sex pests turmoil #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/sgQmAUzg5M
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) October 29, 2017
THE TIMES: May urged to take control of Parliament sex pest row #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/1UhG7d7413
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) October 29, 2017
GUARDIAN: MPs fear more Sleaze claims will emerge #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/qaTiuHjQ6g
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) October 29, 2017
DAILY TELEGRAPH: May ‘will sack any sex pest ministers’ #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/LU4sQsla2U
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) October 29, 2017
I: May calls for crackdown on abusive MPs #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/zfMvPWf4bd
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) October 29, 2017
METRO: The No10 Sleaze briefings #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/J8FA8EA7N0
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) October 29, 2017
Here is the agenda for the day.
11am: Downing Street lobby briefing.
2.30pm: Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, takes questions in the Commons.
4.45pm: Aviation chiefs give evidence on Brexit to the Commons transport committee.
I: May calls for crackdown on abusive MPs #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/zfMvPWf4bd
— Neil Henderson (@hendopolis) October 29, 2017
Here is the agenda for the day.
11am: Downing Street lobby briefing.
2.30pm: Sajid Javid, the communities secretary, takes questions in the Commons.
4.45pm: Aviation chiefs give evidence on Brexit to the Commons transport committee.
As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to post a summary at lunchtime and another in the afternoon.
You can read all today’s Guardian politics stories here.
Here is the Politico Europe round-up of this morning’s political news from Jack Blanchard’s Playbook. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must reads.
If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow.
I try to monitor the comments BTL but normally I find it impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer direct questions, although sometimes I miss them or don’t have time.
If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter.
Updated
