A Tory MP was allegedly watching porn on his phone while sat in the House of Commons beside a female member of parliament, according to a new report.
The horrified minister told her colleagues about the alleged incident, prompting a meeting at Westminster last night, the Mirror reports.
Conservative Chief Whip Chris Heaton-Harris has said the alleged incident is being investigated.
In a statement his office said: "The chief whip is looking into this matter.
Advert
“This behaviour is wholly unacceptable and action will be taken.''
Three different sources told the news outlet that around ‘a dozen women MPs at the meeting shared accounts of alleged sexism and harassment by their colleagues’.
The meeting was also attended by Chief Whip Heaton-Harris, Party Chairman Oliver Dowden and Leader of the House of Commons Mark Spencer.
Former prime minister Theresa May was also said to be at the meeting.
One MP told the Mirror: “It was like a blood-letting. Everybody was sharing awful stories of what had happened to them in the Commons at the hands of male MPs.
"[The chief whip] clearly hadn’t been expecting it and looked knocked for six. But the big question is what happens next.”
Another MP said: "They were genuinely shocked and horrified. They must realise that there are serious issues they need to address.”
The meeting came amid reports that 56 MPs, including three Cabinet ministers, are facing allegations of sexual misconduct referred to the Independent Complaints and Grievances Scheme.
Over the weekend, there was outrage after a report in the Mail On Sunday publishing ‘sexist’ and disputed claims from unnamed Tory MPs that Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner tried to distract Boris Johnson with her legs during Prime Minister’s Questions.
Speaking on ITV’s Lorraine on Tuesday (26 April), Rayner said she had appealed to the paper not to run the story, based on claims by an unnamed Tory MP.
“When I heard the story was coming out and we rebutted it instantly… like this is disgusting, it’s completely untrue, please don’t run a story like that,” she said.
“All I worry about when I’m at the despatch box is doing a good job and being able to do justice to my constituents and the work I’m doing, so I was just really crestfallen that somebody had said that to a paper and a paper was reporting that.”
LADbible has contacted the Conservative Party for comment.
Claire Reid