Mike Hill: Former Labour MP breached parliament’s sexual misconduct policy
Commons speaker strips ex-Hartlepool MP of right to parliamentary pass
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Your support makes all the difference.The former Labour MP accused of sexually harassing a member of staff breached parliament’s sexual misconduct rules, a panel has found.
The House of Commons Independent Expert Panel said Mike Hill – who quit as Hartlepool MP in March and sparked the recent by-election – would have faced suspension had he not resigned.
The Commons speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, has now stripped Mr Hill of his right to a parliamentary pass as a former member.
Sir Stephen Irwin, chairman of the panel, said: “The sub-panel took a very serious view of his conduct, and had he remained a member of parliament, a significant sanction would have been under consideration.”
The former Labour MP is also facing an employment tribunal case over sexual harassment claims, with a decision expected to be made towards the end of June.
His former parliamentary staffer has claimed the 57-year-old carried out a campaign of sexual harassment and bullying against her for 16 months while he was in office.
She also alleges the former MP groped her and rubbed his penis against her body in his London flat.
Earlier this week the tribunal heard Mr Hill’s claim that his ex-parliamentary staffer was only bringing a sexual harassment case against him out of revenge. He has denied harassing her when she rebuffed his advances.
The tribunal has also heard that he sent her texts telling her he “craved” her body, told her he was “in love” with her and described himself as being “emotionally f*****”.
Separate to the ongoing tribunal, the member of staff made a complaint under Westminster’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme.
She alleged Mr Hill subjected her to behaviour amounting to sexual misconduct in shared private accommodation and in his parliamentary office.
In a 31-page report released on Thursday, the independent expert panel found Mr Hill had breached parliament’s sexual misconduct policy and would have “likely” suspended him.
However, it found there was no sanction to impose “in light of his resignation” in March – triggering the by-election that saw the former red wall seat of Hartlepool go to the Tories.