By Jack Mendel
Labour has removed the whip from an MP and told him to quit after a Parliamentary watchdog says he should be suspended over two claims of sexual misconduct.
The Independent Expert Panel said Christian Matheson MP should take leave from Westminster after complaints from a junior member of staff.
Labour branded the recommendation an “incredibly serious case” and that chief whip Alan Campbell had told him to stay away from Parliament.
The opposition also confirmed the parliamentary whip has been withdrawn, and urged him to immediately stand down as an MP, while it begins its own investigation.
This comes after the expert panel recommended Matheson “is suspended from the service of the House for four weeks” and this “should not run over a period when the House is expected to be adjourned for more than four days.”
The decision was taken after being referred by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards to the panel, over two incidents reported by the member of staff.
Experts upheld claims that in 2019, the MP for the City of Chester had invited the staff member on a private trip to Gibraltar with him and it was “sexually motivated”.
It said he “had placed the complainant under pressure and intimidated her.”
In a second instance, in January 2020, a claim was upheld that he took her to a “work-related dinner” and had “linked arms with her, made personal comments about her appearance.. made her hold his hand” and then “insisted on accompanying her” to the us stop. He then “invited her back to his flat” and kissed her”
The panel maintained the decision by the Commissioner, that it was an “unwanted and unwelcome sexual advances”.
A Labour spokesperson said: “This is an incredibly serious case. There must be a zero tolerance for sexual harassment and the Labour party has acted immediately following the ICGS findings.
“We will now select a candidate that the people of Chester can be proud to vote for.”
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