Lee Anderson apologises for ‘swearing at security officer’ in parliament

Lee Anderson has apologised in the House of Commons for “swearing twice at a security officer after his pass did not work” as he tried to enter parliament.

A report by the Independent Expert Panel (IEP) found the Reform UK MP for Ashfield swore twice at a security officer after his pass did not work when he was trying to enter the parliamentary estate in November 2023.

When asked to show his pass, Anderson allegedly said: “F*** off, everyone opens the door to me, you are the only one.”

The report said Anderson “accepted that he was ‘upset, impatient and angry’ but not ‘aggressive’, and denied swearing at the complainant.”

Anderson told the commons: “I spoke to the complainant in a manner that was totally unacceptable and which included swearing and other language that goes against the House of Commons bullying and harassment policy.”

“I would like to apologise to the complainant and to this House for my behaviour. Our security staff do an incredible job and should always be treated with the utmost respect.”

Politics.co.uk is the UK’s leading digital-only political website. Subscribe to our daily newsletter for all the latest news and analysis.