Target: Sir Lindsay Hoyle, Speaker of the UK House of Commons
Goal: Create procedure for better handling accusations of sexual misconduct against members of Parliament.
A prominent politician in the United Kingdom (UK) Parliament was recently accused of sexual harassment by at least five women. Just a short time later, a debate over a year-in-the-making bill that directly addressed alleged misconduct by Parliamentary members was once again delayed. Now, advocates fear this needed debate and potential vote could face a permanent hiatus.
The bill would possibly ban members of Parliament (MPs) under investigation for sexual misconduct from entering the Parliamentary grounds. Both a commission and a panel would assess and ultimately decide whether or not the accused MP could still carry out duties. Without the prohibition, a guilty MP could still potentially interact with victims or groom future victims. The proposed rule change emerged after three MPS faced allegations ranging from groping a minor to rape.
Political leaders kicking the can down the road once again sends a dangerous message and could enable other bad behavior. Sign the petition below to demand Parliament prioritize immediate debate and resolution of this important measure.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Sir Hoyle,
The allegations against MP Geraint Davies should have been the push needed to put guardrails in place for Parliament members accused of misconduct. Instead, Parliament seemingly learned nothing from this incident and further delayed debate on a measure that could have assured these guardrails. With every new accusation and every moment of inaction by leaders of Parliament, the public’s trust crumbles.
Stop the stalling, stand up for any potential victim, and ensure no more victims are created due to indifference. Set a debate and a vote on the proposed misconduct bill as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Brett Sayles
213 Signatures