Tory MP Rob Roberts Faces Commons Suspension Over Sexual Harassment Breach

Politics

Out Conservative MP Rob Roberts faces a six-week suspension from the House of Commons and has had the party whip stripped from him for breaching parliament’s sexual harassment policy – but can continue to sit as an MP.

A report published on Tuesday by parliament’s independent expert panel (IEP), found Roberts made repeated and unwanted sexual advances towards a former member of staff, as well as inappropriate comments of a sexual nature.

The IEP judged that a six-week suspension was the appropriate sanction. This will only come into effect if MPs support it, by voting for a motion in the House of Commons.

As ‘The Guardian’ reports, Roberts, who has held the seat for Delyn in north Wales since 2019, apologised and said the “breach of trust” was “completely improper and should not have happened”.

Sir Stephen Irwin, the chair of the IEP, has said: “The misconduct demonstrated here was significant. It is evident that Mr Roberts MP was in a very powerful position as an employer … Our conclusion is that the determination of six weeks suspension from the service of the House was proper and proportionate.”

The former staff member claimed in an interview with BBC Wales that Roberts repeatedly propositioned him and asked him to “be less alluring”, saying the MP’s behaviour had left him “uncomfortable”, “shocked” and “horrified”.

The complainant started working for the newly elected Roberts in early 2020, and claimed the MP made his “first advance” 10 days later.

The staffer, who wishes to remain anonymous, told BBC Wales they were alone in a car together on a constituency visit when Roberts allegedly said: “I find you very attractive and alluring and I need you to make attempts to be less alluring in the office because it’s becoming very difficult for me.”

Suspension from parliament for 10 days or more would usually trigger a recall petition, allowing a byelection to be triggered if 10% of the MP’s constituents sign a petition.

But because Roberts appealed a finding against him by the parliamentary commissioner for standards, causing his case to be referred to the IEP, the formal process under the Recall of MPs Act of 2015 will not be triggered.

Irwin explained: “For a recall to be initiated, the sanction must be imposed on the recommendation of the committee on standards, or another committee of the House of Commons concerned with standards of conduct. The independent expert panel is not a committee of the House of Commons.”

The report found that Roberts had accepted that “aspects of his behaviour” towards the male staff member were “inappropriate,” and had offered to apologise – but “rejected the categorisation of his conduct as ‘sexual’, preferring the term ‘romantic’”.

Subsequent attempts to persuade the staff member to go for a drink with him, “amounted to no more than an attempt to reset their professional working relationship”, the MP claimed.

Labour said the findings were serious enough to mean that Roberts should step down. The party chair, Anneliese Dodds, said: “The report fully upholds the sexual harassment allegations made against Rob Roberts MP. He should therefore resign his seat with immediate effect.

“That such serious and proven abuse doesn’t automatically result in the recall of a sitting member of parliament is both absurd and unjust. The Conservative government cannot dance around gaps in legislation if it is serious about upholding standards in public life.”

Chris Bryant, the chair of parliament’s standards committee, said: “We must close this loophole immediately, and the only people who can do that are the government, by tabling legislation.”

A Conservative party investigation into the case resulted in Roberts being “rebuked” for his behaviour, but Boris Johnson did not remove the whip from him at the time.

A party spokesperson said: “We would like to apologise to the individual concerned for the inappropriate and unwarranted treatment they were subjected to by someone in a position of authority.

“There is no place for the behaviour they were subjected to and we praise their courage in coming forward.

“In light of the outcome of the standards investigation, Rob Roberts MP has had the Conservative party whip suspended.”

Read related myGwork articles here:

Conservative MP Rob Roberts Comes Out

Gay Tory MP Accused Of Asking Intern To “Fool Around”

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