Labour MP Liam Byrne should be suspended from Commons for bullying former employee, panel says

The Labour MP and former minister Liam Byrne faces a two-day suspension from the Commons for bullying a former staff member, an independent disciplinary panel has recommended.

Following an investigation, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, Kathryn Stone, upheld an allegation of bullying against the MP by a former member of his constituency staff.

The Independent Expert Panel, which hears appeals against decisions made by the commissioner, said the case involved a “serious breach” of the bullying and harassment policy.

The panel said the Birmingham Hodge Hill MP abused his position of power and ostracized the staff member by ceasing personal contact with him for several months and denying him access to his Parliamentary IT account.

“The impact of this behaviour was compounded by the first period of lockdown when the complainant was physically separated from work colleagues, uncertain of his future work status and had undergone a period of ill health.”

It claimed Mr Byrne “sought to present his actions as a reasonable HR strategy in response to this incident”, but added: “We disagree. It was bullying. He should, as he now accepts, have tackled any misconduct through a proper disciplinary process not by ostracising the complainant.”

The panel recommended the former minister be suspended for two sitting days – a sanction that must be agreed by a motion in the House of Commons.

They also concluded that Mr Byrne should make a written apology to the former staff member and “undertake training and other actions to address the causes of his behaviour and the weaknesses in the management of his office”.

Mr Byrne said he was “profoundly sorry” and the situation had been a “valuable lesson for me and one I am determined to learn”.

In a statement he said: “Two years ago at the beginning of lockdown, following a workplace dispute that led me to send the complainant home ... I did not resolve the dispute correctly with a proper disciplinary process, and having nevertheless extended the complainant’s contract, thereby failed to fulfil my obligations as an employer and parliament’s behaviour code.

“This constituted an ostracism which was a breach of parliament’s behaviour code which I strongly support, and caused distress for which I am profoundly sorry. I have apologised in full to the individual concerned.

“I’m incredibly grateful to the panel for recognising the genuine remorse I felt about the impact on the individual concerned, the steps I have already taken to ensure this never happens again along with the work still to do, and for concluding that I did not deliberately act to delay the investigation.

“This has been a valuable lesson for me and one I am determined to learn as me and my team seek to offer the best possible service and voice for the residents of Hodge Hill.”

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “The Labour Party fully supports the recommendations of this independent report, including the proposed sanction.”