Calls for probe into Labour’s handling of Carl Sargeant sex claims after his suicide

LABOUR should face an investigation into how they handled allegations of sexual harassment against Welsh politician Carl Sargeant, a former top watchdog said today.

Friends of the former minister said he had been “thrown to the wolves” by party bosses before he killed himself.

Sir Alistair Graham, ex-chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said Labour must ask a lawyer to probe the claims against him.

A top Corbyn ally initially supported his call – before U-turning hours later and saying an investigation would be unnecessary.

Mr Sargeant, a member of the Welsh Assembly, was suspended by the party after he was accused of “groping, unwanted attention and inappropriate touching”.

But he was apparently not told the full details of the claims against him despite asking party chiefs to explain what he was said to have done.

Sir Alistair told the BBC: “You don’t dismiss somebody from a position without first going through due process.

“There is a duty of care. When serious allegations come which may go back many years then there can be a very serious shock to people.

“They have to explain to their family that allegations have been made, they can feel extremely vulnerable.”

He added: “I would have thought the sensible thing to do would be to ask a suitably qualified independent person, perhaps a senior lawyer, to carry out a review of how it has been handled both by the Welsh Government and the Labour party.”

Shadow equalities minister Dawn Butler told Radio 5 Live the case should be “fully investigated”, saying: “It doesn’t sound as though everything that should have happened, happened.”

But shortly afterwards she changed her mind as she said in a statement: “After giving an interview this morning, I have looked further into the process followed in this case.

“I am satisfied that the appropriate process was followed, including preserving the anonymity of alleged victims at this stage of the process, and therefore do not feel an investigation is required.”

Colleagues of Mr Sargeant expressed concern at the way he was treated by Labour.

Last Friday he was sacked as minister for communities and suspended from the party, although he continued to serve as an AM.

One colleague told the BBC: “It’s hard to understand why Carl was thrown to the wolves.”

Jenny Rathbone, a Labour member of the Assembly, added: “Clearly, he wasn’t dealt with fairly in the most basic sense. If allegations are made against you, you must know what they are so you can respond to them. That doesn’t appear to have happened.”

Leighton Andrews, another close colleague of Mr Sargeant, said: “There are big questions to be asked about the process.”

His friend Askar Sheibani, a Labour activist, said he and his wife had been “genuinely worried” about Mr Sargeant after the allegations emerged last week.

He told the BBC: “We knew he couldn’t take this kind of pressure, it was a pressure it would have destroyed many people like him.”

A spokesman for Welsh Labour did not respond to a request for comment.

Mr Sargeant, 49, was found dead at his home in Connah’s Quay yesterday morning.

His wife and children said he was “the glue that bound us together” as Welsh political figures paid tribute to his long career.