A Labour MP has resigned and triggered a byelection after a watchdog called for him to be suspended from the Commons for “serious sexual misconduct”.
Christian Matheson, the City of Chester MP, denies the allegations – of a “sexually motivated” invitation to a staff member to go on a private trip abroad – but announced he is standing down.
Labour had quickly suspended the whip from Mr Matheson and called on him to quit after the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner upheld two allegations.
“This is an incredibly serious case. There must be a zero tolerance for sexual harassment and the Labour party has acted immediately,” a spokesperson said.
Mr Matheson won the seat at the 2019 general election with a majority of 6,164 over the Conservatives – meaning Labour will be confident of retaining it, amid the current Tory party turmoil.
He was facing a possible byelection anyway, because a four-week suspension is enough to trigger the 2015 Recall of MPs Act, allowing constituents to petition for the vote.
The Standards Commissioner upheld allegations that the MP made an “unwanted” invitation to the former staff member to travel with him and put her “under pressure and intimidated her”.
During a work event outside Parliament, he also “linked arms with her; made personal comments about her appearance while looking at her suggestively; made her hold his hand as they left and insisted on accompanying her to her bus stop; and once there invited her back to his flat, kissed her twice on the forehead and attempted to kiss her on the mouth”, a report said.
“The Commissioner concluded that these were all unwanted and unwelcome sexual advances,” it concluded.
In his resignation statement, Mr Matheson protested that he had been “found guilty of several allegations that I know to be untrue”.
“From the start, I accepted I had committed a minor breach of the code and had hoped that an honest and open approach would stand me in a fair light,” he wrote.
“This has proven not to be the case and I am dismayed that I have been found guilty of several allegations that I know to be untrue.
“Indeed my insistence on what I know to be true – that I had no sexual motivation in this matter – was held against me as a refusal to accept my guilt, and caused an increased sanction which I felt was disproportionate.”
He requested “privacy for my family” and said the investigation had “caused a great toll on my health, requiring my hospitalisation”, adding: “I once again apologise to the complainant in my case, for the hurt I have caused.”
