Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins suspended over accusations he ‘rubbed his crotch against party worker, 24, and pestered her with texts’
JEREMY CORBYN was at the centre of sex scandal storm last night as it was revealed complaints about suspended sex-scandal MP Kelvin Hopkins had been made almost TWO YEARS ago.
Kelvin Hopkins became the first Labour casualty of the sex scandal sweeping Westminster after allegations of rubbing himself up against an activist - and sending her lewd texts.
But Labour immediately came under fire over why it had taken so long to act - given the leaders' office was told about the events in January 2016. After the allegations were raised the MP for Luton North, 76, was later promoted to the Shadow Cabinet.
Ava Etemadzadeh, 27, said she had told Labour whips about the incidents and that a regional rep contacted Jeremy Corbyn's team to raise concerns at the start of last year.
Speaking to the Telegraph last night she said: "I know the leaders' office was informed and they didn't act on it, which is absolutely disgraceful.
"He was then promoted to the Shadow Cabinet. An independent reporting body to deal with these cases would have been better."
It comes as Westminster has been rocked in recent days amid the revelation of a dirty dossier containing allegations against numerous MPs - which has already seen suspensions and resignations.
It is a secret WhatsApp group used by women working in Westminster who use it to warn each other about MPs with a reputation for sexually inappropriate behaviour.
Yesterday Michael Fallon resigned from his position as Defence Secretary after admitting that he touched female journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer's knee — as details emerge of sexual harassment complaints against dozens of politicians.
The Tory admitted his behaviour in the past had "fallen short" after he was accused of misconduct.
Brexit minister Mark Garnier admitted calling his secretary "sugar t*ts" and taking her to buy him vibrators in Soho and it emerged former cabinet minister Stephen Crabb sent sexually explicit messages to a 19-year-old woman who applied to work in his Commons office.
But a number of those mentioned in the full document - Dominic Raab and Rory Stewart - have hit back at the claims the behaved inappropriately.
This week a young activist Bex Bailey stunned Westminster by revealing she had been raped by a senior Labour party member in 2011 - and was then told reporting it may hurt her career.
Yesterday the Sun revealed a senior Labour MP had been called by other sex abuse victims following Bex Bailey’s horrific account.
As Westminster reels, her former boss, Labour MP Liz Kendall, has urged Labour to leave “no stone unturned” in finding out why it Bex Bailey had been let down – but also to ensure the culture within the party was changed once and for all.
Ms Etemadzadeh met Mr Hopkins in 2013. After an event at Essex University a year later she alleges he rubbed his crotch against her when hugging "very tightly" to say goodbye.
After swapping texts, she accepted an invite to see the MP in Parliament in February 2015 only to be left feeling "uncomfortable" when asked about her personal life.
She claims that at one point he said that if his office had been empty he would have like to have taken her there.
Later in the month he telephoned her several times. He then sent a text saying she was a "lovely young woman - attractive, intelligent charming and sweet natured.
"A nice young man would be lucky to have you as a girlfriend and lover.
"I am sure one such is soon to be found. Were I to be young... but I am not."
Ms Etemadzadeh complained on the advice of another MP.
Rumours about Kelvin Hopkins have grown this week. Challenged by the Sun earlier this week whether he was under investigation Labour refused to comment.
In a statement last night Labour said:“On the basis of allegations received by the Labour Party today, Kelvin Hopkins has been suspended from party membership, and therefore the Labour whip, while an investigation takes place.
“The Labour Party takes all such complaints extremely seriously and has robust procedures in place to deal with them.”
A Labour source insisted they had only received a formal complaint from Ms Etemadzadeh for the first time yesterday. He added much more detail had come to light since the first contact in January 2016.
Meanwhile, Labour was slammed over a new sex abuse complaints procedure – after saying party officials will review all cases.
A leaked copy of the guide issued by general secretary Iain McNicol enraged female MPs calling for an independent body to be set up.
Under the new code, a specialist panel will review complaints and decide whether to discipline anyone.
But its members will be elected by Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee. An MP told ITV News the new procedure was “shocking” because the NEC could potentially influence the panel’s decision.
“My biggest concern is the lack of impartiality in the process, and the potential for bias in any decision making.
“What I would really like to see is a truly independent reporting process, that provides a process which can be trusted by those reporting such issues.”
Labour insisted it took all complaints “extremely seriously.”
Fellow backbencher Lucy Powell has warned the PM and Jeremy Corbyn had to act quickly or risk being seen as being more interested in “trying to kill a story”.
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