Due to sexual misbehavior, Labour MP Christian Matheson may be barred from the Commons for four weeks.
After looking into claims made by a former employee, a parliamentary inspector determined that the 54-year-old married man had broken the rules.
According to reports, Mr. Matheson was immediately suspended by Labour, and as a result, he no longer possesses the party’s whip in the Commons.
According to an examination conducted by the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme of Parliament, the MP invited the staff member on a private vacation overseas for “unwanted” and “sexually driven” reasons.
Additionally, it was determined that Mr. Matheson approached the staff member at a professional gathering with “unwanted and unwelcome sexual approaches.”
“He invited her back to his apartment, kissed her twice on the forehead, and tried to kiss her on the lips,” it was said.
There is no question that [Mr Matheson] was attempting to begin a sexual connection with the complainant, his subordinate employee, said an independent expert panel.
The whole time, this desired connection was undesired and undesirable.
The evidence shows that his activities were totally against the complainant’s will and that they also threatened, intimidated, undermined, and humiliated him.
The panel that Mr. Matheson be expelled from the Commons for a period of four weeks.
This is lengthy enough to warrant a recall petition; if more than 10% of the district’s voters sign it, a by-election may be called in his City of Chester seat.
Sir Alan Campbell, the chief whip for Labour, has instructed Mr. Matheson to resign from his position as an MP and has warned him that the party will choose a different candidate in his place before the next election.
He might potentially be expelled from Labour via the party’s own disciplinary procedure, which can get started now that it has the ICGS findings.
A spokeswoman for Labour declared: “This is a really serious situation.” Sexual harassment must be taken very seriously, and the Labour Party reacted right away to the ICGS conclusions.
“We will now choose a candidate who Chester residents can be pleased to support.”