Sex pest dossier names six Cabinet ministers and senior allies of PM – throwing parliament into panic
A document drawn up by staff who work with Conservative MPs names 36 Tories and the accusations include groping, harassment and paying women to stay quiet
PARLIAMENT was in a panic last night after it was revealed a dossier of alleged Tory sex pests names six Cabinet ministers and other senior allies of the Prime Minister.
The bombshell document, drawn up by anonymous female and male staff who work for and with Conservative MPs, details claims about 36 Tories in total — 21 of them serving or former ministers.
One Tory MP is allegedly nicknamed “Copperfeel”.
Another is said to have tried to take three female aides on holiday.
Amid the most startling claims is that there is a video in circulation of a male MP being urinated on by three men. One MP is said to enjoy sex “with men who wear women’s perfume”.
International Trade minister Mark Garnier is named on the list — days after it was revealed he asked his PA to buy sex toys.
Former Cabinet Minister Stephen Crabb is also named after it emerged he sent sex texts to two women.
The explosive dossier, which has been seen by The Sun, is in the form of a spreadsheet.
Its existence has triggered fears of a witch-hunt in Westminster — with MPs comparing it to the climate of panic during the 2009 expenses revelations.
Tory Bernard Jenkin said: “The controversy about politicians’ behaviour creates the same kind of fear which seized the whole political system when the MPs’ expenses system was exposed.”
Not all the MPs on the spreadsheet are accused of acting improperly. It includes two MPs named in Sun stories who have had relationships with staff where no misbehaviour is alleged.
Justin Tomlinson had a relationship with his younger researcher and Steve Double had an affair.
No sexual wrongdoing is suggested on the part of either.
The dossier details emerged yesterday as Defence Secretary Michael Fallon admitted he got “handsy” when he inappropriately touched the knee of journalist Julia Hartley-Brewer.
Fallon: I confess
DEFENCE Secretary Michael Fallon last night admitted inappropriately touching a female journalist — while six Cabinet ministers were named in a dossier of alleged Tory sex pests.
Mr Fallon confessed that he was the minister who talkRADIO presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer threatened to punch for repeatedly putting his hand on her knee.
Meanwhile, a bombshell spreadsheet drawn up by female and male workers inWestminster and leaked to The Sun detailed allegations against 36 top Tories. They include 21 serving ministers, ex-Cabinet ministers and a Parliamentary Private Secretary.
Married father-of-two Mr Fallon admitted to The Sun he had touched Julia — but insisted he apologised over the incident 15 years ago and that both considered the matter closed.
A pal said: “Julia’s a good friend of Michael’s. He overstepped the mark when he put his hand on her knee. She made clear it was unwelcome and he rightly apologised 15 years ago.”
Earlier Julia had told how a Cabinet Minister had “repeatedly put his hand on my knee during a party conference dinner”.
She added: “I calmly and politely explained to him that, if he did it again, I would punch him in the face. He withdrew his hand and that was the end of the matter.”
Julia said she did not feel like she was a victim of a sexual assault, and found the incident nothing more than “mildly amusing”.
Last night Prime Minister Theresa May vowed to crack down on any MP proven to have behaved badly.
There was a flurry of denials from Tory MPs on the spreadsheet. Labour called for the whip to be removed from Tories Mark Garnier, who asked his PA to buy sex toys, and Stephen Crabb, who sent sex texts to two women.
The Sun last week revealed the existence of a WhatsApp group in which female staff shared a secret list of sex-pest MPs to avoid.
Theresa May yesterday vowed to crack down on any MP exposed for bad behaviour. But the names on the list could threaten her already wafer thin grip on the Commons should any MPs be suspended or kicked out of the Tory Party.
She faces fresh questions over what she knew about bad behaviour among Cabinet and senior colleagues — and when she knew it.
Her spokesman said Mrs May was waiting for a Cabinet Office probe into Mark Garnier’s case before passing judgment. But the spokesman refused to say No10 backed the minister.
He also claimed reports that Mrs May is informed of Cabinet members’ behaviour in weekly briefing from whips was “not true”.
The spokesman refused to say the PM was confident there was no sexual misconduct by Cabinet colleagues or if she was aware of any allegations yet to be revealed.
The spokesman said Mrs May had not seen the dossier.
Commons Speaker John Bercow yesterday described allegations of a “culture of sexual harassment” at Westminster as “disturbing”. He said there would be zero tolerance of abuse, adding: “Make no mistake, there is a need for change.”
Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom is pressing for the establishment of a new external support team to offer confidential advice and support to anyone suffering sexual harassment.
But yesterday it emerged plans by David Cameron to give Westminster workers more protection had been rejected by MPs in 2014.
Tories named in the dossier denied the allegations when contacted by The Sun yesterday.
One minister said he was consulting lawyers while a former Cabinet minister said the alleged bad behaviour “could only have happened in my sleep”. A senior Tory said claims about him were “completely ludicrous’ — adding: “I’ve never met a researcher outside my office and I’ve never employed a woman researcher.”
Another added: “I’ve never been rude to a woman in my life.”
But one MP boasted that his inclusion proved there was “clearly life in the old dog yet”.
The chairman of the Tory 1922 Committee yesterday said MPs whose behaviour was impeccable feared they would be also tarnished by association.
Graham Brady said there was a “a degree of anguish that these things also unfairly tarnish the vast majority of MPs who are committed to public service and to doing good for their constituents”.
Mr Brady rejected suggestions that there is a culture of sexual harassment in Westminster.
He added: “I think it would be a mistake to imagine that Parliament is a den of iniquity.”
Tory backbencher Michael Fabricant said: “We must all be wary of a witch-hunt developing with unsubstantial allegations.”
Last night Theresa May was urged to investigate another cabinet minister following claims two female researchers had to move to different jobs because of inappropriate behaviour.
The Daily Telegraph claimed he made a pass at one woman and improper comments to another.
Labour MP Rupa Huq yesterday revealed she was sexually harassed by an MEP at the European Parliament with “wandering hands”.
She said: “I was startled,”
MP was a 'grabber'
A FORMER Labour MP claims a long-serving Tory “grabbed” her breast.
Betty Williams told BBC Radio Cymru: “A Tory MP who’d been there for years grabbed my breast and that was in a reception.”
She also said another Tory touched her knee, but refused to name names.
