Tory MP faces six-week suspension over bullying and sexual misconduct

Conservative MP Peter Bone could be suspended for six weeks – triggering yet another by-election – over bullying and sexual misconduct towards a member of staff.

Parliament’s Independent Expert Panel (IEP) found the veteran MP “trapped” a member of staff in a room where he exposed himself, in what the panel said was a “deliberate and conscious abuse of power”.

The alleged incident took place on an parliamentary trip to Madrid more than a decade ago. The panel also upheld five allegations of bullying.

Bone said the allegations were “false and untrue” and that the investigation process was “flawed”. The report is just one of a number probing alleged abuse of power in Parliament.

MPs will now vote on whether to accept the findings and recommended six-week censure, which would trigger a recall petition that could potentially lead to a by-election in his Tory stronghold seat of Wellingborough. 

Bone currently enjoys a majority of 18,540. However, Labour recently overturned a Conservative majority of 20,137 in Selby and Ainsty, the largest majority reversed at a by-election. 

The report highlights the challenges that potential victims face in being listened to – and it prompts the question: was Boris Johnson aware of the allegations when he made Bone deputy leader of the Commons? 

Timeline

Between 2012-13: Peter Bone “committed many varied acts of bullying and one act of sexual misconduct” against a member of his staff;

December 2015: Complainant’s father writes to David Cameron on his son’s behalf; 

September 2017: Complainant submits signed statement, detailing the allegations, to the Conservative Party;

November 2017: Complainant raises the issue in a letter to then-prime minister Theresa May; 

February 2018: Party begins to conduct investigation, including seeking evidence from Bone;

November 2018: Complainant receives a letter from the party confirming there is evidence of a potential breach of the code of conduct. “From this time, however, the Party process seems to have gone quiet.”

October 2021: Complainant registers a separate complaint with the independent complaints and grievances scheme (ICGS); 

August 2022: Complainant withdraws the original complaint from the party so the ICGS complaint can proceed;

July-September 2022: Bone is made deputy leader of the House of Commons in Boris Johnson’s caretaker government.  

This piece originally appeared in the Sensemaker newsletter. To read more, click here.