Clive Lewis becomes fourth senior Labour politician in a fortnight to be investigated after allegations he groped a woman at their party conference
Former Corbyn ally and prominent MP is accused by activist of giving her backside ‘a big squeeze’ - which he strenuously denies.
CLIVE Lewis has become the fourth senior Labour politician in a fortnight to be investigated after allegations he groped a woman at their party conference have emerged tonight.
The former Jeremy Corbyn ally and prominent MP is accused by an activist of giving her backside “a big squeeze” after meeting her in Brighton in September.
Mr Lewis, tipped as a future leader, has strongly denied the claims – telling the Independent “that’s not how I roll”.
But the party member claims it happened when she greeted the 46-year-old, and the incident occurred in a room full of people at the conference in September.
It is alleged to have taken place at the same event Mr Lewis was filmed using the phrase “get on your knees bitch”, something he has since apologised for.
Labour said it is investigating the official complaint, but the Norwich MP has not been suspended by the party.
That is unlike one his colleagues Kelvin Hopkins, who has had the whip withdrawn over claims he rubbed his crotch against a woman and sent her sleazy text messages.
This evening the veteran MP put out a statement saying he "absolutely and categorically" denies allegations of inappropriate conduct made by party activist Ava Etemadzadeh.
Mr Lewis becomes the fourth senior party figure to come under investigation in recent weeks, starting hen Sheffield Jared O’Mara was suspended for claims of misogyny.
And this afternoon Carl Sargeant, a senior figure in the Welsh government, has been sacked from the cabinet after allegations about his “personal conduct” were reported to the country’s First Minister.
The incident involving Mr Lewis was reported by a 39-year-old woman, who said she thought he was “a good guy” who has “consistently stuck up for good left-wing values”.
She claimed at around midnight she introduced herself to the MP, adding: “We had a hug and while we were having a hug he gave my bum a big squeeze.
“My friend who was there, a fellow [constituency party] delegate…me and him looked at each other and our eyebrows went ‘whoaaa’.”
The woman continued talking to Mr Lewis afterwards about issues like politics and poverty and even danced with him later.
She explained she didn’t report it straight away because while it was a “shock”, she wasn’t immediately upset by it.
But the woman decided to bring it forward after receiving an email from Labour encouraging people to come forward.
Mr Lewis completely denies the allegation, telling the website: “I wouldn’t do that to someone. It’s not what I do, it’s not my style, it’s not how I roll. I do not do that.
“They have made the allegation and I totally refute it. If someone hugs me, I hug them back. I would completely deny it.”
