Conservatives have been affected by another sex scandal in the House of Commons after a female minister said she saw a male colleague watching porn on a mobile phone in parliament.
A series of female party lawmakers complained about the whips of sexism and misogyny in its ranks at a heated meeting Tuesday night.
This comes just days after the whips said they would try to figure out which Tory MPs, in a Mail on Sunday article, falsely accused Labor deputy leader Angela Raynor of a “basic instinct” trick to distract Boris Johnson. by crossing and not crossing his legs in parliament.
Female lawmakers are also on the brink of rioting, according to a senior Tory official, following a report over the weekend that three cabinet ministers were among 56 lawmakers against whom sexual harassment complaints were filed with the independent complaints system.
The female junior minister complained about watching pornography in front of the municipality’s chief whip, Chris Heaton-Harris, at a meeting of a new group of women MPs and peers – known as 2022 – on Tuesday night. A second senior female MP also expressed similar concerns about the same male MP.
A spokesman for the whip service initially said the chief whip would “address this issue”. “This behavior is completely unacceptable and action will be taken,” she said. However, later Wednesday night, the whips office said women MPs should formally raise the issue with the Independent Complaints and Appeals Service (ICGS). “After the completion of each ICGS investigation, the Chief Whip will take appropriate action,” the spokesman said.
Rachel McLean, the minister responsible for women’s protection, said the alleged behavior was “shocking and unacceptable”, adding that there should be no place for him in the party or parliament and the MP should be expelled from the party. if the claims are correct.
When the complaints were filed, others in the group of 40 MPs present were said to be “in a ballistic position”. One remembers, “We were all shouting that they should be removed.” Another attendee said, “I don’t think the boss was prepared for the power of feelings. “Girls” from whips, another for making fun of her male colleagues in the hall. “
They also complained that women MPs had been isolated, with the media being dominated by senior male Tories on morning and regular TV shows.
Angela Raynor on ITV’s Lorraine show on Tuesday. She criticized allegations that she viewed “sexist insults” as a joke. Photo: Ken McKay / ITV / REX / Shutterstock
Deputies did not name the man who was allegedly watching porn in the hall during the meeting. However, there was fierce speculation in Westminster on Wednesday about the identity of the male MP. Several names were circulating amid conflicting information about whether this was a leading team.
Women MPs in the municipalities are outraged by the attitude towards Raynor. But Boris Johnson’s spokesman said Wednesday that the prime minister was “uncomfortable”, that the chairman had called the editor of the Mail on Sunday to discuss her misogynistic attitude.
David Dylan, the newspaper’s editor, was asked to meet with President Lindsay Hoyle. But on Wednesday, the Mail sent a reply from Dylan that he would not attend the meeting, as well as a story suggesting that Raynor had joked about the comparison in previous cases with Tory MPs, as well as in a podcast.
In response, Raynor referred to allegations that she had previously viewed “sexist insults” against her as a joke.
Raynor tweeted in response: “I said … in January that sexist film parody is misogyny for me and still is. As women, we sometimes try to erase the sexism we face, but it doesn’t do us any good.
“The post office today suggests that I am somehow happy to be subjected to sexist insults. I do not. They are humiliating and deeply hurtful. “She really loves him” is a typical excuse known to so many women. But it cannot be the responsibility of women to call him every time. I don’t need anyone to explain sexism to me – I experience it every day.
“Boris Johnson has given assurances that he will unleash the” horrors of the earth “on Tory MPs who spread this vile sexism. I hope to hear what he will do about it today. “
Hoyle told lawmakers on Monday that he had arranged a meeting with Dylan after outrage over the allegations in the article. Dylan said he and his political editor, Glenn Owen, would not be present because “journalists should not accept instructions from House of Commons officials, no matter how good they are.”
Conservative MP Caroline Knox, chair of the Committee on Women and Equality, wrote to Hoyle, asking him to consider revoking the author’s Commons pass. However, Hoyle, who met with Raynor on Monday, suggested it would not be right to remove his pass.
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