Labour MP suspended amid multiple harassment allegations, sparking investigation
A Labour MP has filed a complaint against Geraint Davies, who has been suspended over allegations of inappropriate behaviour, according to sources. This marks the second formal complaint received by the Labour party after a woman also contacted the party previously. Davies has been “administratively suspended” from the party pending an investigation into reports of “incredibly serious allegations of completely unacceptable behaviour”. The 63-year-old politician, who represents Swansea West, has been in and out of parliament since first being elected in 1997.
The allegations against Davies surfaced in a report by Politico published on Thursday. He has denied the claims, stating, “I don’t recognise the allegations suggested and do not know who has made them. 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.” In response to the allegations, the Labour party suspended Davies and encouraged anyone affected by his behaviour to file a formal complaint to facilitate an investigation.
In a separate development, Charlotte Nichols, Labour MP for Warrington North, claimed that one of her colleagues, reported to the police for alleged sexual assault, remains on the opposition frontbench because the party “has chosen not to act”. Nichols did not name the individual but expressed dissatisfaction with Labour officials’ response to the claims. Speaking to BBC Radio Four, she also revealed that within her first week of being elected to parliament in 2019, she received a “verbal list” of around 30 MPs she should “steer clear of” due to their inappropriate behaviour.
Nichols stated that there is a “deeply rotten culture” within Westminster regarding sexual harassment and that “none of the systems we have in place are effective”. She provided an example: “One of our colleagues who has been reported to police for assault who still has the party whip is still on the frontbench, but the party has chosen not to act.” Additionally, Nichols mentioned cases where individuals reported sexual assault to the parliament’s independent complaints and grievance scheme (ICGS) but were told that they couldn’t act because the incidents didn’t occur on the parliamentary estate.
According to Nichols, there is a “fundamentally underlying rotten culture in Westminster” that permeates every level of the institution. She urged everyone to stop talking about “bad apples” and instead focus on addressing the root cause of the problem.
Last month, Tortoise Media reported that a female Labour MP claimed she had been sexually assaulted by a male shadow minister after a summer party in London in July 2021. The BBC later reported that a complaint was made to the Met Police, but they would not be investigating the matter “at the victim’s request”. At the time, Labour said it had not been contacted by the police or received a formal complaint. In light of the Davies allegations, a party spokesperson encouraged anyone with a complaint to come forward so that allegations can be “swiftly and fully investigated and action taken”, adding that the party has ensured a wide range of support is available to complainants throughout the disciplinary process.
