TIME TO BERC-GO
Commons speaker John Bercow facing calls to quit after Parliament abuse culture is exposed by damning report
Dame Laura Cox delivered damning conclusions on how the Commons deals with sexual harassment and bullying
PERVY politicians roam the corridors of power like gods with a culture of abuse covered up by the Commons Speaker, a bombshell Westminster probe has found.
Women workers are left sobbing in toilets after being groped, propositioned and bellowed at in public, report author Dame Laura Cox found.
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Her six-month inquiry concluded a “seismic” change is needed to rid parliament of the “disturbing” behaviour.
But it said the transformation is unlikely to be “delivered under the current senior House administration” — putting Speaker John Bercow under huge pressure to quit.
Dame Laura delivered her damning conclusions on how the Commons deals with sexual harassment and bullying a year after the Pestminster scandal which toppled two Cabinet ministers.
She was tasked with probing the culture after a slew of bullying claims were made against the Speaker last March.
Accusation one
Hands on knees and bottoms
Repeated physical contact — for example men patting women’s heads, putting their arms around women, leaving a hand on their knee for an uncomfortably long time, trying to kiss them, grabbing their arms or bottoms or stroking their breasts or bottoms.
But she was not given the authority to probe and name individuals, to the fury of campaigners who said the rule was designed to protect Mr Bercow.
More than 200 current and former staffers gave evidence to Dame Laura, who concluded: “The heart of our democracy is failing to live up to the standards to be expected of any 21st century workplace.”
She went on: “The alleged behaviour is not the preserve of any one party, and allegations have been made against men and women, though the vast majority have been made against men.
“While some allegations relate to the past, others reveal it continues to be a problem.”
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Accusation two
Women called dirty names
Women were abused in vulgar, gender-related terms if they failed to do something that had been requested, or did it in a way that was considered inadequate or took too long. One witness described it as “humiliating and mortifying to watch”.
The former High Court judge told how women were being failed by a culture of “deference and silence” in Parliament that “actively sought to cover up abusive conduct”.
Her 155-page report revealed that staffers and aides are treated like “servants” by powerful “masters” who bully, assault and abuse. Witnesses were “shocked by the almost God-like status accorded to MPs, who must always be treated with kidgloves”.
Dame Laura laid the blame at door of the powerful Clerk of the House, the director general and executive board as well as Mr Bercow’s office and the ruling House of Commons Commission which he chairs.
Dame Laura said: “I find it difficult to envisage how the necessary changes can be successfully delivered — and the confidence of the staff restored — under the current senior House administration.”
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Accusation three
Pestered for sex
Women were repeatedly propositioned — as were some men. There was frequent inappropriate touching. One woman said: “I felt physically sick. I would find myself crying in the toilets, I wasn’t able to eat or sleep properly and I began to feel consistently unwell.”
She warned workers have been pushed to “breaking point by a culture — cascading from the top down — of deference, subservience, acquiescence and silence, in which bullying, harassment and sexual harassment have been able to thrive and have long been concealed”.
She urged the worst offenders to resign — saying they know who they are.
Dame Laura slammed the current system that sees MPs in charge of their own discipline. Witnesses repeatedly told her MPs “know they are free to act as they wish towards House staff” because there “are no consequences and they have never feared any sort of discipline over bad behaviour”.
The reams of testimonies included: “Men patting women’s heads, putting their arms around women, leaving a hand on their knee for an uncomfortably long time, trying to kiss them, grabbing their arms or bottoms or stroking their breasts or bottoms.”
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Accusation four
Questioned on private lives
Male MPs became increasingly boorish on occasions when they were together, making frequent sexual innuendos, lewd comments or sexual gestures. Women were repeatedly asked about their sex lives, or about their personal lives generally, which they found offensive.
Dame Laura also heard of “groups of male MPs becoming increasingly boorish when they were together, of frequent sexual innuendos, lewd comments or sexual gestures or women repeatedly being asked questions about their sex lives.”
The report reads: “MPs shouting abuse at staff was frequently referred to, with the phrase “you’re f***ing useless,” shouted at close quarters as a regular event.
“There is an esprit de corps which means that MPs always support each other.”
And she questioned the role booze played in the bad behaviour. Pointing to the “ready access to alcohol in the various bars on the premises” she added “the steps taken so far to restrict access to alcohol during working hours may need to be revisited”.
Sir Kevin Barron, the outgoing Commons standards committee chief, last night called on Mr Bercow to quit.
He told The Times: “The change in culture has to come from the top and unfortunately I no longer believe that the Speaker is the correct person to provide that leadership so he should step down.”
Tory minister Claire Perry said: “It must be horrendous to be a staffer working in some of these offices.” When asked if Mr Bercow should quit, she replied “that’s his decision”.
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Accusation five
Sexist talk on women's bodies
Derogatory or lewd comments were regularly made about women’s anatomies or about women generally. This was often done in front of other people in the team and in such a way as to deliberately offend and humiliate women.
But she added it was “entirely inappropriate” that he had blocked probes into named individuals. The boss of the powerful Commons Equalities Committee attacked Mr Bercow, branding the report “a damning indictment of the leadership of the Commons”.
Maria Miller put its bosses on notice, warning: “A change is clearly one of the recommendations in the report.”
Last night Dame Laura suggested Mr Bercow should consider his position. She told the BBC: “Those involved needed to ask themselves whether they understood the need for radical reform, were capable of delivering it, and whether staff would have confidence in their ability to do so. If they can’t answer ‘Yes’ honestly then they should each of them be considering their positions.”
Mr Bercow’s spokesman hinted he would attempt to tough out the scandal, saying: “This is a serious report into a serious subject which deserves a serious response.
“The House of Commons Commission will meet as a matter of urgency in the coming days to consider the report and our response to it.”
Accusation six
Sworn at and manhandled
MPs regularly shouted abuse at staff, with the phrase “you’re f***ing useless,” being described by a number of people working in different departments. This abuse was often in public and occasionally accompanied by grabbing a hand or arm.
Commons speaker John Bercow tells MPs there must be 'zero tolerance' on sexual harassment 'in Westminster and elsewhere'
We put heat on pervs in power
By Harry Cole
LAST October The Sun put pervy politicians on notice, warning that women working in Westminster used WhatsApp to tell each other about bad behaviour.
Sleazy gropers and abusive politicians came under pressure, then the dam burst.
Within days Defence Secretary Michael Fallon was forced out by Sun revelations, and Theresa May’s deputy Damian Green left two months later.
Our award-winning scoop was followed by bullying claims in March 2018 that saw Commons Speaker John Bercow personally accused of bad behaviour.
Six MPs remain suspended from their parties over serious allegations made about their behaviour.
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He has to go
By Julie Hartley-Brewer
COMMONS Speaker John Bercow is under fire — and not for the first time.
As the man in charge of running the House of Commons, he has come under a barrage of criticism for a culture of bullying and sexual harassment.
An inquiry by Dame Laura Cox was set up after the Harvey Weinstein expose led to the Westminster sex pest allegations, which included my own knee.
Now daylight has been shed on the murky Commons boys’ club culture, it’s time for change.
But, as the report concluded: “Some individuals will want to think very carefully about whether they are the right people to press the reset button.” That is Parliamentary-speak for “Go now, Bercow!”
Julia is a talkRADIO breakfast show presenter, every weekday 6.30am-10am.
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