Labour Member of Parliament Geraint Davies has had his party membership suspended following allegations of behaviour that have been deemed as “completely unacceptable.”
Along with that, the Labour Party described the allegations as “extremely grave” and urged individuals with any complaints to come forward and report them to the party.
According to a report by Politico, which broke the story, Geraint Davies, the Member of Parliament representing Swansea West, has been accused of engaging in unwelcome sexual behaviour towards younger colleagues.
In response to the allegations, Geraint Davies informed Politico that he does not recognize or acknowledge the accusations made against him.
Geraint Davies stated, “To the best of my knowledge, none of these allegations have been officially lodged as complaints with either the Labour Party or Parliament. If I have unintentionally caused any offence to anyone, I apologize sincerely, as we must cultivate an environment of mutual respect and equality for all.” Considering BBC reports, the media has reached out to Mr Davies for a comment, but as of now, there has been no response from him.
Following the allegations, Mr Davies has been temporarily suspended from his Labour Party membership as an administrative measure until an investigation into the claims is conducted. Consequently, he is unable to fulfil his role as a Labour MP during the ongoing investigation but retains his position as the Member of Parliament for Swansea West and will serve as an independent.
In response to the situation, a spokesperson from the Labour Party emphasized the gravity of the allegations, describing them as highly serious and involving entirely unacceptable behaviour. They urged individuals who have complaints to step forward and report them to the Labour Party’s investigation.
He stated that any individual making a complaint will have the opportunity to utilize an independent support service, which offers confidential and impartial guidance and advice from external experts throughout the entire process.
Mr Davies, who initially assumed the position of a Member of Parliament in 1997, has served on multiple committees within the House of Commons, including the Welsh Affairs and Environment Committee. Before 2005, he held the position of MP for Croydon Central and additionally served as the leader of the council in the south London borough.
In 2010, Mr Davies was elected as the Member of Parliament for Swansea West, where he presently holds a majority of 8,116 votes.
The allegations of misconduct are the most recent among a series of revelations originating from Westminster, commonly referred to as the “Pestminster scandal.” MPs from both the Labour and Conservative parties have faced accusations, resulting in their temporary suspension from their respective parties in recent years.
Labour MP Geraint Davies accused of junior colleagues sexual harassment case.
Accusations have emerged against Mr Davies, suggesting that he engaged in multiple instances of inappropriate behaviour towards junior female colleagues throughout his extensive career in British politics.
According to five women, who had encountered Geraint Davies in their capacity as Members of Parliament, he subjected them to unwanted sexual attention, encompassing both physical and verbal forms of misconduct. Mr Davies, who was elected to the House of Commons in 1997 and previously served as a chair for a select committee, allegedly committed these actions.
Many of the reported incidents occurred within the parliamentary premises, often in bars or during late-night votes. Notably, one of the women he allegedly targeted was only 19 years old at the time of the purported misconduct.
It seems that Davies’ alleged behaviour was known to some members of the Labour Party, but no action was taken due to the absence of a formal complaint. These instances highlight the challenges involved in addressing harassment claims within the parliamentary setting.
One particular incident involved a former staff member of the Labour Party who claimed that when she was 22 years old, Davies, approached her in a parliamentary bar while she was heavily intoxicated. According to her account, he bought her another alcoholic beverage and suggested they could go to his nearby flat.
