Sanctions against bullying MPs can no longer amount to a ‘quiet word’

MPs will debate a report today that concludes their staff are subject to an “unacceptable risk of bullying and harassment, including sexual harassment, at work”. Nobody reading Gemma White QC’s report, which has prompted the debate, could fail to be moved by the testimonies of those who have suffered at the hands of some of my colleagues. The report will be no surprise to many and whilst the offenders are a minority of MPs, it should be obvious to everyone that parliament must be beyond reproach; an exemplar of good employment practices and positive behaviours. 

Instead, grown men and women have been shouted at, sworn at, belittled and humiliated. They have been relentlessly picked on, and some have been the victims of unwanted sexual advances, or worse. This has had such a detrimental effect on some that they have become too anxious or ill to work, and either been forced to resign or have been sacked. Careers have been ruined and the perpetrators get off scot free. It appears sanctions against MPs so far amount to a ‘quiet word’.

It is like something from a bygone era – staff bullied and abused, feeling powerless to do anything. We must implement changes to our employment practices that give our staff at least the same protections that other public sector workers have. We must take whatever steps are necessary to ensure staff can report incidents without fear of reprisals or retribution. No longer can an employer be a judge in his or her own cause: independence, transparency and fairness must be our guiding principles.

The power imbalance between MPs and their staff is striking and that, coupled with the high demand for such jobs and the reliance on personal patronage in our political systems and parties means that the risk of power being abused is all too great. MPs altogether employ more than 3,000 staff. Every other public sector organisation of a similar size has a body that allows some degree of independent oversight of probation, appraisals and training, and so must we. We must develop basic policies and procedures that drag our worst offenders into the 21st century. 

Only through introducing transparent systems and independent scrutiny will we be able to end the impunity that currently exists in some quarters. To that end, we must also champion the report’s recommendations of the immediate introduction of both a leavers’ survey and the collection of data to monitor MP’s employment records to help identify general trends or specific pockets of concern in individual offices. We must ensure that there is nowhere for bullies to hide. 

We know that many MPs enter parliament with little or no management training or experience, but this is not an excuse and we must commit to mandatory ‘Valuing Everyone’ training as a minimum for all current MPs and their staff within a short but reasonable timeframe.

And finally, we must urgently and fully implement the recommendations of the Cox report to establish an independent complaints and grievance scheme, including removing the insulting June 2017 cut-off date in respect of complaints. It is frankly embarrassing that we haven’t done so already and are having to be told to do so again. 

At the same time, it is vital that we move to a fully independent process where MPs are not able sit in judgement on their colleagues. It is clear that at the moment staff do not have confidence in the current processes, which – despite the reforms – mean many still consider it “career suicide” to complain against an MP. We cannot lecture others over the way they treat their staff if we cannot get our own house in order. We should be an example of best practice, not worst.