Jess Phillips: ‘Just today, I’ve spoken to two women who were raped by MPs’

Speaking as measures to bar MPs from the House of Commons on risk-based grounds were being considered, Labour’s Jess Phillips revealed that, ahead of the debate, she had spoken to “two women who were raped by” parliamentarians.

She said: “Just today, just on this one day, I’ve spoken to two women who were raped by members of this parliament, two. Just today, that’s a fairly standard day for me”.

She added: “And I wonder if the honourable lady from the procedures committee who told us of all the people that she had had in front of her, how many of the victims of these crimes came and gave evidence or were given an opportunity to give evidence in private?”

Speaking on the proposals, Phillips made the case that a risk-based exclusion process should take place in light of an arrest.

A House of Commons commission had initially proposed a risk assessment take place on an MP at the point of arrest.

The motion had since been watered down so that only MPs who are charged with sexual or violent crimes could be banned from the estate.

However, MPs voted – by just 170 to 169 – on Monday evening in favour of the proposal to reinstate the original intention of the policy.

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