Sex-pest MPs named by female Westminster employees in secret WhatsApp group — as resignations are ‘anticipated’
CABINET Ministers have been named by furious female staff in a secret list of sex-pest MPs to avoid at Westminster.
They are among politicians listed in a WhatsApp group set to spark a fresh scandal in Parliament.
Fuming researchers, secretaries and aides linked up to share horror stories and warn new recruits of sleazy bosses.
Sources say the first MP could be exposed by the weekend and one said resignations are “anticipated”.
Reports include tales of MPs groping staff in lifts and a Minister branded “Not Safe In Taxis” because of his wandering hands.
Culprits are said to include Cabinet Ministers — and to cross the political divide from Parliament’s bars and party conferences.
And while many of those accused are said to be “the usual old suspects”, one poster says they also include “surprising younger names”.
Lurid allegations swirling around Westminster included:
- SENIOR MPs having sex with staff in Parliamentary offices;
- A CABINET Minister “groping” during drinks parties;
- A LABOUR MP nicknamed the “disco king” groping a woman while away on a foreign trip;
- ONE MP demanding that staff buy sex toys as gifts;
- A TORY grandee banned from hiring young “leggy” women to join their staff;
- LEERING bosses calling female workers “sugar t**s” and demanding affairs, and
- TOP government aides aggressively pursuing female juniors.
News of the WhatsApp group comes in the wake of the #MeToo social media phenomenon which has seen women around the world speak out about sexual harassment.
And after revelations about film mogul Harvey Weinstein rocked Hollywood, Westminster is on red alert for a fresh sex scandal.
Sources there believe the first MP could be named publicly by this weekend and one told The Sun they “anticipate resignations”.
One female staffer was seen in tears this week speaking about abusive bosses, because of fears she’d be fired or dis- believed if she went public.
Antics involving serving and ex-Cabinet Ministers, senior frontbenchers from both Tories and Labour, peers and aides have all been flagged, it is said.
A parliamentary source said the names of some of the worst offenders were widely known — but that the list was being drawn up “so new arrivals could be warned”.
One member of the WhatsApp group said: “The usual old suspects are there but there have been some surprising younger names crop up.”
Another source said: “For years we have all looked out for each other. It’s like, ‘So-and-so is hiring, but it can’t be a woman for him’.”
Tory whips have also reportedly drawn up a “lechers list” of badly- behaved MPs who they are forced to keep a close eye on due to the Government’s wafer-thin majority.
Some party whips have been seen patrolling bars and terraces to stop bad behaviour.
Our revelations come after Labour MP John Mann declared he was ready to name and shame a party colleague who treated a young woman “appallingly”.
The Labour campaigner used the Commons floor to suggest a colleague was reported for bad behaviour on an official foreign trip, but the incident had been hushed up.
In an electrifying Commons intervention on Monday, Mr Mann hinted a Labour MP had been booted off a foreign trip for bad behaviour towards females.
Separately, he tweeted: “I will be naming a Labour MP who behaved appallingly towards a young woman.”
He added: “Why was her complaint ignored before?”
Two senior female Tories have also spoken out about abuse received by women in Westminster.
Baroness Jenkin, a close friend of Theresa May, said: “Men used to hit on you all the time. They would say, ‘I had a dream about you last night’. These things affect people differently.”
Tune into Julia Hartley-Brewery for more on this story...
From 10am on talkRADIO on DAB or via the app
And former Cabinet minister Maria Miller claimed she “experienced far more sexual harassment as an MP than in my 20-year career in advertising and marketing.”
She added: “This is not a thing of the past — we need to see it as a present-day concern.”
Asked about abuse, a Labour spokesman said: “Other parties have significant issues in this area”.
They insisted Labour had implemented “robust” measures over the investigation of sexual abuse allegations.
Last night a Commons spokesman said: “The House of Commons takes the welfare of everyone who works in Parliament very seriously.
“A free confidential helpline is provided by the House and available 24/7 for all Members’ staff.”
A Conservative spokesman said: “If a serious allegation is raised we would immediately advise the individual to contact the police. We take all allegations incredibly seriously.”