A FORMER Labour frontbencher has been suspended from the party following allegations about sexual harassment.
Former shadow minister Kelvin Hopkins has had the Labour whip withdrawn after allegations that he sent “inappropriate” text messages and rubbed himself up against a young woman after a political event.
Ava Etemadzadeh, who is now 27, reportedly said she informed the whips office at the time of the incident and that a local party member contacted the leader’s office last year to raise concerns about the allegations.
The party suspended Mr Hopkins last night after being asked questions about his conduct.
A party spokesman confirmed the allegations were being examined and an investigation launched.
He added: “On the basis of allegations received by the Labour Party today, Kelvin Hopkins has been suspended from party membership, and therefore the Labour whip, while an investigation takes place. The Labour Party takes all such complaints extremely seriously and has robust procedures in place to deal with them.”
The disclosures are likely to fuel concerns about the way that some parliamentarians behave with young activists and raise questions about whether the Labour Party investigated claims.
Earlier this week, Bex Bailey, a 25-year-old party member, claims senior Labour figures told her not to report an attack by a fellow activist at a party event six years ago because it could damage her political career.
Ms Etemadzadeh told the Telegraph she believed Jeremy Corbyn’s office failed to investigate the allegations she had made against the MP.
She said: “I know the leader’s office was informed and they didn’t act on it, which is absolutely disgraceful. He was then promoted to the shadow cabinet.”
It came after Ruth Davidson insisted yesterday the “dam has broken” on the Westminster sexual harassment scandal and there is now a need for “house clearing” across UK politics.
The Scottish Conservative leader met Theresa May in Downing Street just a short while before Sir Michael Fallon dramatically resigned as Defence Secretary.
Ms Davidson said: “These male-dominated professions, overwhelmingly male-dominated professions, where the boys’ own locker room culture has prevailed, and it’s all been a bit of a laugh, has got to stop.”
“The house clearing that is about to happen needs to happen and we can never go back to where we were before.”
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