Theresa May offers apology to victims of MP sex scandal as she calls for new culture of respect in Parliament
The Prime Minister has refused to say 'hand on heart' that she was not aware of any serious allegations before they were made public
THERESA May said sorry to all victims of MPs’ sexual abuse as she vowed to clean up Westminster.
The PM’s apology came as she was forced to insist government whips have not covered up any scandals since she has been PM.
But ominously, No10 aides refused to give the same reassurance before she took power in June last year.
Mrs May and other party leaders agreed new safeguards for Parliament’s staff in a bid to get control of the sleaze scandal plaguing Westminster.
After the meeting, the PM said: “I’m sorry that we have seen these abuses of power – too many taking place over too many years.
“The fact that they have taken place here at our seat of democracy should be a matter of shame for us all.”
May also called for “a new culture of respect” in public life.
Along with Labour boss Jeremy Corbyn and the Lib Dems’ Sir Vince Cable, the PM revealed a new and independent grievance process would be set up for Commons and Lords staff to report allegations.
Face-to-face human resources support would also be offered to MPs’ workers for the first time, and a complaints hotline would be upgraded.
But Speaker John Bercow was accused of blocking the key reforms by insisting they were for the parties to do not Parliament.
One Downing Street source dubbed the Speaker as “not being very helpful”.
Demands grew for the Tories’ enforcers to come clean about what they knew about a raft of serious allegations against Conservative MPs that stretch back years.
The PM’s official spokesman added: “In relation to the whips’ office, while the Prime Minister’s been in charge she is confident they behaved in the right way.
“Where allegations can be acted upon, that is what has happened.”
