The dam has burst over allegations against now-independent MP Geraint Davies. After losing the whip this morning following multiple harassment allegations published in Politico, both a Labour MP and a peer have accused Davies of bringing sex workers into Parliament to “show them off” on the Terrace. Apparently, it was a “well-known” habit of his…
A Labour MP has told Sky News Davies was “always standing too close and being weird“, and often “boasted” about taking prostitutes into Strangers’ Bar:
“It’s a well-known secret in Westminster about who to avoid and the parties need to act on these rumours before the perpetrators drag everyone down with them… He would openly boast about bringing escorts and prostitutes onto the terrace and show them off.”
The Labour whips’ office reportedly knew about this months ago, yet did nothing in the absence of a formal complaint. Now they’ve been bounced into suspending him based on the press coverage. Meanwhile the likes of Stephen Kinnock are also admitting they heard “rumours” about people like Davies yet said nothing. The exact sort of behaviour he criticised the Tories for after the Pincher saga…
Labour MP Geraint Davies has been accused of sexually harassing five women since joining the Commons in 1997, including a junior staffer aged 19 and two younger female MPs. According to Politico, Davies both physically and verbally harassed women on the parliamentary estate, with habits of “excessive drinking, sexual comments and unwanted touching […] stretching back at least five years“. Politico say they spoke to at least 20 people all corroborating the allegations…
They allege this was an open secret in Labour circles, yet without a formal complaint, no formal action was ever taken. MPs claim the Labour whips have been aware of his behaviour for years. Davies himself released a statement this morning:
“I don’t recognize the allegations suggested and do not know who has made them. None of them, as far as I know, has been lodged as complaints with the Labour Party or parliament. If I have inadvertently caused offence to anyone, then I am naturally sorry as it is important that we share an environment of mutual and equal respect for all.”
The whips this morning say they “strongly urge anyone with a complaint to come forward so that allegations can be swiftly and fully investigated and action taken“. No formal complaint, no investigation…
UPDATE: Labour confirms Geraint Davies has had the whip suspended. A spokesperson said:
“These are incredibly serious allegations of completely unacceptable behaviour. We strongly encourage anyone with a complaint to come forward to the Labour Party’s investigation”.
Didn’t take long…
If co-conspirators remember Dr Neil Hudson, Guido will be impressed. Hudson took Rory Stewart’s old Penrith seat back in 2019 and has so far proved just as, if not more, rebellious than his predecessor. A year ago Guido revealed his Tory MP colleagues were becoming increasingly bitter towards him, not just because of his ranking as the most rebellious 2019 intake MP. He also wrote a Mail on Sunday op-ed self-promoting one of his rebellions on animal welfare, which not only increased abuse directed to non-rebelling Tory MPs, it resulted in him being labelled a “judas” after it emerged he took £900 for the hit job. Happy families…
Now Dr Neil’s anti-Tory credentials are growing. Following the resignation of porno MP Neil Parish, a vacancy has arisen for chair of the environmental select committee, for which Hudson is in the running. Guido has now been passed a message doing the rounds endorsing Hudson for the chairmanship – signed by four solidly left-wing Labour members of the committee. Rosie Duffield, Ian Byrne, Geraint Davies and Barry ‘CCP’ Gardiner…
The round-robin asks MPs – presumably sent to non-Tories – to support wet Hudson, who “works consensually with us on the committee — often against his Conservative colleagues. He has been independent in voting against his party…”
“He is a qualified vet who brings real expertise to the committee and we urge colleagues to make him your first choice (or second preference if committed to another) for the Chair.”
The fact he is a qualified vet will come as a surprise to any recipients of the letter, given Dr Neil hardly ever mentions it. Ever since the defection of Christian Wakeford, Tory MPs have been wondering if anyone else may be considering a leap… One to bear in mind.
Labour MP Geraint Davies has given an interview to Good Morning Wales blasting the “endemic cultural problem” in Westminster and seeking “clarity” over what constitutes “unreasonable” behaviour:
“The problem we have got is a sort of endemic cultural problem that has built up over many years, it’s Parliament’s fault to a certain extent. When I arrived 1997 the background was public school boys who arriving with a hierarchical view of the world alongside a system where there was no career structure, no human resources no appraisals no support for staff or even MPs. There needs to be a more professional approach to people’s progress and a more transparent appraisals and a clarity over what is reasonable. Some of these things are clearly unreasonable. There have been advice notes sent out about behaviour and this sort of stuff, but it should be self-evident in terns of common sense. There are institutional cultural problems which need to be shaken up professionally.”
Separately, The Sun reports Corbyn’s office has received a complaint about an MP and is being warned against covering it up…
