A LABOUR MP should be suspended from the House of Commons for two days for a breach of Parliament’s bullying and harassment policy, the House’s Independent Expert Panel has recommended.
Following an investigation by an independent investigator, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone upheld an allegation of bullying against Liam Byrne by a former member of his constituency staff made under Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS).
Former cabinet minister Byrne has apologised for his conduct against former staff member David Barker, who worked in his constituency.
The Independent Expert Panel, which considered the punishment for Byrne, said the Birmingham Hodge Hill MP abused his position of power and ostracized the staff member by ceasing personal contact with him for several months and denying him access to his Parliamentary IT account.
The panel said Byrne “sought to present his actions as a reasonable HR strategy” but added: “We disagree. It was bullying.
“He should, as he now accepts, have tackled any misconduct through a proper disciplinary process not by ostracizing the complainant.”
The panel recommended that Byrne should be suspended for two sitting days on condition that he also make a written apology to the complainant; and undertake training and take action to address the causes of his behaviour and weaknesses in the management of his office.
In a statement Byrne said: “Two years ago at the beginning of lockdown, following a workplace dispute that led me to send the complainant home … I did not resolve the dispute correctly with a proper disciplinary process, and having nevertheless extended the complainant’s contract, thereby failed to fulfil my obligations as an employer and Parliament’s Behaviour Code.
“This constituted an ostracism which was a breach of Parliament’s Behaviour Code which I strongly support, and caused distress for which I am profoundly sorry. I have apologised in full to the individual concerned.
“I’m incredibly grateful to the panel for recognising the genuine remorse I felt about the impact on the individual concerned, the steps I have already taken to ensure this never happens again along with the work still to do, and for concluding that I did not deliberately act to delay the investigation.
“This has been a valuable lesson for me and one I am determined to learn as me and my team seek to offer the best possible service and voice for the residents of Hodge Hill.”
A Labour spokesman said: “The Labour Party fully supports the recommendations of this independent report, including the proposed sanction.”
