Damning report reveals Parliament as ‘one of the worst places to work’ amid bullying and harassment scandals
The House of Commons and Lords rank at the bottom of a league table determining the reputation of 66 government and public bodies
PARLIAMENTARY officials have been hit by a damning report showing it ranked one of the worst places to work, it emerged last night.
A devastating dossier revealed the Commons and the Lords occupied the bottom two spaces in a league table judging the reputation of 66 government and public bodies.
Leader of the Commons Andrea Leadsom last night demanded senior bosses "get a better grip" to restore staff confidence in the wake of the bullying and harassment scandals.
The recent assessment comes to light after Dame Laura Cox exposed the “institutional failings” saying she found it “difficult” to see change under current senior staff including Commons Speaker John Bercow.
The damning findings were revealed as part of an internal risk assessment probe that also covered dealing with cyber attacks and security.
Assessors investigated whether the House of Commons suffers a loss of reputation through the “inaction of House staff, MPs or their staff”.
They decided that that the reputational risk following the bullying and harassment claims moved the risk up to “red” in the traffic light system.
Assessors also probed whether the “right people” were in position to steer the Commons through its current issues.
An internal memo states the reputation status coupled with the recent bullying expose means senior officials weren’t on target to meet their goals.
In a traffic light system, it puts the risk of leading figures not to solve the crisis as “amber” until next April.
Ex-staff in bully quiz
SEVERAL thousand former staff at Westminster are being asked to spill the beans on their treatment at work.
The ex-employees will receive a letter from Gemma White QC asking for submissions to a new bullying and harassment inquiry.
The first stage will look at treatment of staff working for MPs in Parliament or constituencies and the second part into politicians’ treatment of each other.
A nine-page letter has been sent out with responses expected by the middle of January.
Andrea Leadsom, Leader of the House of Commons, last night said: “I’m doing everything I can to change the culture in Westminster, but the Commons senior management hasn’t done enough to demonstrate a willingness to change.
“They need to get a much better grip if staff confidence is ever going to be repaired.”
A spokeswoman for the House of Commons Commission said: “We do not comment on leaked papers.”
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