Labour Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry has said she is “ashamed of what’s been going on” in her party and said the processes must change.
Asked about the case of Bex Bailey, a Labour activist who said this week she was raped at a party event in 2011 and told to keep quiet about it for the sake of her career, Ms Thornberry said:
“I am ashamed of what’s been going on and I want us to do something about it.
“I want stuff happening in my party. [To make sure] There is a process there, and people are supported. People are not told, ‘Keep your head down dear, don’t say anything,’ which is why we are now going to have an independent body.
“It seems to me that we should be looking at the victims of this and we should be making sure that our party responds appropriately.”
The Labour leadership is under fire after claims that the party was aware of allegations of sexual misconduct made against former Shadow Culture Secretary Kelvin Hopkins, a friend of Jeremy Corbyn, but he was promoted to the Shadow Cabinet anyway.
Ms Thornberry said “We owe a debt of gratitude to those who have come forward and who have been brave in the way that they have."
But she refused to be drawn in to discussions over Mr Hopkins, who is currently under investigation by the party.
"Where there is an investigation going on, it is important we let that investigation run its course," she said.
Shadow Business Secretary Clive Lewis has also been accused of groping a party activist at a party conference event last month. He has denied the allegation.
Labour has appointed a high profile barrister to examine claims of sexual misconduct within the party.
