Complaints against Peter Bone in full - from exposing himself to throwing pens
Veteran Tory MP Peter Bone faces a six week Commons suspension after he trapped a staff member in a hotel room and exposed himself.
Parliament's Independent Expert Panel (IEP), which examines MPs' conduct, ruled he had engaged in “a wilful pattern of bullying” which “also included an unwanted incident of sexual misconduct, when the complainant was trapped in a room with the respondent in a hotel in Madrid”.
Five allegations were made about Mr Bone's conduct in October 2021, after a complaint to then-Prime Minister Theresa May in 2017 lingered on unresolved. They include four complaints of bullying and one of sexual misconduct.
The IEP said the incident in the hotel was "a deliberate and conscious abuse of power using a sexual mechanism", which was part of a pattern of inappropriate conduct with no reasonable explanation. The complainant said in evidence: "There was a sense of a king who expected people to serve him in all sorts of ways."
The Wellingborough MP said: "As I have maintained throughout these proceedings, none of the misconduct allegations against me ever took place. They are false and untrue claims. They are without foundation." He vowed to continue representing his Wellingborough constituency. But the findings pave the way for a by-election if his suspension is approved by MPs as a lengthy Commons ban would trigger a recall petition, allowing his constituents to boot him out.
Teachers, civil servants and train drivers walk out in biggest strike in decade
Peter Bone was briefly promoted to become Deputy Leader of the Commons last year (PA)Read the complaints in full.
'Verbally belittled, ridiculed, abused and humiliated' his employee
The report said Mr Bone "ridiculed and belittled the complainant on a number of occasions". On December 10 2012, after swearing and shouting at the victim, the MP "called him ‘sensitive, you’re a strange chap’, and later said sarcastically ‘Do you want a hug?’" He then asked a colleague to "give him a hug because ‘he’s feeling sensitive’."
Mr Bone "regularly shouted and swore at the complainant", including in front of a new intern in his Westminster office over the filing of expenses, the report said. The victim, who kept a diary of incidents, was "repeatedly told to “shut up” in front of staff’, including on one occasion when the MP said ‘shut up! Is that clear enough’". In the second week of December 2012, the MP “verbally threatened the complainant” and on one occasion “hugged the complainant and said, ‘You’re going to wish you never said that to me’.” A finding of bullying was upheld.
'Repeatedly physically struck and threw things' such as pencils
Mr Bone “struck the complainant repeatedly, on the back of the head, back, arms and shoulders”, the report claimed. It went on: “He used his hand (front and back) and sometimes an object such as a pencil or rolled-up document."
On one occasion, on January 14, 2013, the MP "struck the complainant across the back of the head and said, ‘because you’re having a thick day and I thought that would help’." The victim said Mr Bone would tell colleagues he was "‘having a thick day, we should hit him’. “Some hits were hard, some just taps." The report also claimed the MP threw things like pens, pencils and office equipment.
Forced him to sit with hands in lap in 'unwanted and humiliating ritual'
The complainant described an “unwanted and humiliating ritual” called “hands on laps” which he claimed aides were subjected to by the MP. The report said: "When not satisfied with the complainant’s work, particularly on expenses, he would forcibly make him or require him to put his hands on his lap, sometimes hitting his hands."
On October 2 2012, the victim wrote in his log that Mr Bone "physically took my hands and put them in my lap repeatedly when he got frustrated while working on his expenses in his office in Westminster’." Another entry from November 21 2021 said: "Don’t think. Hands on lap."
'Pressured' victim into giving massages
Mr Bone "repeatedly pressurised the complainant to give him a massage in the office (with nobody else present) on his shoulders and neck, at least six times and always with the door of the office shut and nobody else present", the report said.
On November 21 2012, the victim said he agreed because "he was worried about the consequences if he did not". The complainant’s log for 21 November 2012 reads, ‘Asked to give massage.’" This was found to be bullying but not sexual misconduct.
'Indecently exposed himself' on an overseas trip
The MP exposed himself to the victim on a trip to the Spanish capital in January 2013 as part of his role as co-chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking, the report said.
Richard 'shuts up' GMB guest who says Hancock 'deserved' being called 'd***head'
Mr Bone “booked a twin room for both of them, tried to keep the beds together, and on one occasion in the bathroom exposed his genitals close to the complainant’s face”. The aide had resigned shortly before the visit and was working his notice period.
Ostracised the victim following incident on a work trip to Madrid
Following the trip to Madrid, the MP "ignored the complainant, refused to speak to him and ignored any work carried out by him," the report found.
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
