Rob Roberts: Recall loophole should be closed, minister says

Rob Roberts had sexually harassed a member of his staff, a panel found

MPs suspended for sexual misconduct could in future face a recall petition too, as the UK government considers plugging a loophole in the rules.

It follows a recommendation that Tory Delyn MP Rob Roberts be suspended for six weeks for harassing an employee.

The process for handling such complaints does not include the power to trigger a recall petition.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said it was a decision for MPs but he felt "this loophole does need to be closed".

The former employee of Mr Roberts told BBC Wales the MP repeatedly propositioned him and asked him to be "less alluring".

Mr Roberts, who has had the Conservative whip withdrawn, said he apologised for a "completely improper" breach of trust "in the MP-staff relationship".

MPs must decide whether to back the suspension recommended by an independent panel, but Labour and Plaid Cymru have urged Mr Roberts to resign.

They are expected to vote on the suspension on Thursday.

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Currently the sanction of a recall petition on whether the MP should face a by-election only applies to cases assessed by the House of Commons Standards Committee.

Complaints of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct are investigated by a separate process, the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS).

Labour has called this an "absurd and unjust" anomaly.

Shadow minister for domestic violence Jess Phillips told BBC Wales: "Sexual harassment and abuse is not being considered at the same level as the misuse of Parliamentary paper and Parliamentary envelopes for example, or going on holidays paid for and not being declared."

While such examples were "very, very serious", she said they "in no way can compare to the safety issues even, that are presented to the thousands of people who work in and around Parliament".

On whether the Delyn MP should stand down, Ms Phillips said: "I think Rob Roberts should without question, if he had even a single bone of decency in his body, resign his position."

The independent panel was established to look at bullying and harassment cases back in November

Earlier, Mr Shapps told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that while a change in the rules would be a decision for MPs, he added: "I rather agree that this loophole does need to be closed.

"I don't think there's any place for this kind of behaviour in the House, or indeed in society, so I think that's very straightforward.

"I really praise the individual who came forward quite bravely on this as well.

"I think that this should not have the exemption from recall, just because it's gone through this newly-independent process."

Asked about the matter at Prime Minister's Questions, Boris Johnson said that having the Conservative whip withdrawn was "condign", or appropriate, punishment in this particular case.

'Evolve and improve'

A UK government spokesman said: "A case of this severity highlights the need to look again at whether the process is striking the right balance between protecting the confidentiality of complainants and ensuring consistency with other types of conduct cases.

"The central aim of the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme is to help improve the working culture of Parliament and it will need to continue to evolve and improve over time.

"The Leader of the House will invite the relevant bodies to consider whether any changes could be made in future to the process to enable recall to be triggered."