Downing Street has rejected claims of an ingrained cultural of misogyny inside the Conservative party. As the chief whip investigates reports that a Conservative Minister was seen watching porn at the House of Commons, Downing Street has responded.
Over a dozen Conservative MPs met with Chris Heaton-Harris, chief whip of the party, last night to discuss their experiences with sexual harassment and sexism at work.
Two female Conservative MPs accused a male fronbench Conservative MP of watching porn online on two occasions: in the House of Commons next to a female minister and another time at a committee hearing.
A statement released by the whips office said: “The chief whip is looking into this matter. This behaviour is wholly unacceptable and action will be taken.”
In today’s lobby briefing, Number 10 denied the Conservative party had a problem with misogyny.
The PM’s press secretary said: “It’s obviously totally unacceptable behaviour and will be looked into… any allegations like this are taken very seriously”.
Downing Street added Johnson had made clear in recent days that “there’s absolutely no place for such behaviour and this cannot be tolerated in any workplace.”
The chief whip’s investigation falls against the backdrop of a series of difficult stories for the Conservative party regarding sexist and mysoginsic behaviour in parliament.
Over the weekend, the Sunday Times reported that 56 MPs – including three cabinet ministers and two shadow cabinet ministers – are under investigation for sexual misconduct. Independent Complaints and Grievance Service is currently reviewing their cases.
There has also been considerable upset and complaints raised by a Mail of Sunday story over the weekend, where deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner was accused by unnamed Conservative MPs of a ‘Basic Instinct’ ploy to distract Boris Johnson during Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs).
After being summoned, David Dillon, Mail on Sunday editor, refused to meet Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Commons Speaker. (Read more here).
Labour’s leader Keir Starmer addressed the issue of misogynistic behaviour in Westminster during his opening remarks at PMQs.
Starmer stated: “I hope he’s also sent a clear message that there’s no place for sexism and misogyny or looking down on people because of where they come from in his Party, in this House, or in modern Britain”.
Johnson replied: “There can be absolutely no place for such behaviour or such expression in this house, and we should treat each other Mr Speaker, frankly with respect that each other desserves.
Pressed by Caroline Lucas as to whether he considers sexual harassment as grounds for dismissal, the PM replied, “of course”, describing the act as “intolerable”.
Johnson and Starmer criticized one another in PMQs regarding the cost of living crisis ahead the local elections next Wednesday.
Starmer accused the PM being an “ostrich, perfectly happy keeping his head in the sand”, regarding the cost of living squeeze on British households. Labour’s leader claimed only Russia would be having a slower economic growth than the UK in the G20.
Johnson made clear that his party “have a plan” and described Labour administrations across the country to be “a bankrupt shambles”. To his fired-up Conservative backbenchers, the prime minister asserted that Starmer is “doomed to be a permenant spectator”.
