John McDonnell: Independent system should be set up to examine Westminster harassment claims
John McDonnell has called for an independent complaints system to be set up at Westminster in the wake of allegations of sexual abuse and harassment against a number of MPs and ministers.
The Shadow Chancellor said there is "clearly" a problem with sexual harassment in politics which appears to run across all the major parties.
Jeremy Corbyn is set to meet Theresa May next week in an effort to agree a cross-party response to the scandal, and Mr McDonnell suggested they should set up a new independent framework to assess claims.
"We've got to ensure a system that isn't just applying to the Labour party, but applies to all political parties that is fair and objective," he said.
"When all the political parties meet, my view is there should be an element of independence...so people can feel confident about where they can report these things and at the same time how it can be dealt with.
It comes as Labour's Clive Lewis became the latest MP to be accused of inappropriate behaviour. He has [**denied the claims that he groped a woman's bottom**](http://Labour MP Clive Lewis accused of groping woman) at the party's annual conference, saying"it's not what I do".
Suspended Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins has also "absolutely and categorically" denied allegations of inappropriate behaviour made against him by party activist Ava Etemadzadeh.
Sir Michael Fallon stepped down from the role of Defence Minister earlier this month after facing allegations of harassment. He said his behaviour had "fallen below the high standards" required of the armed forces.
Tory MP Sir Roger Gale has said the scandal risks becoming a "witch hunt", as those accused of were on a"hiding to nothing" as it was difficult to refute claims.
But female MPs have been hitting back, with Labour's Harriet Harman saying a frank examination of the issue was"long overdue".
Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry said that all women had their own experiences of harassment as she described being "groped and flashed at" in the streets.
"There's a problem of harassment of women in all aspects of our society , and Westminster is part of that,"she said.
"And I think in Westminster as well, things are changing but I think there's still quite a majority of older powerful men and younger, ambitious young men and women.
"That plus drink plus everything else - there's no excuse for it, but I think there is a power relationship and some of the men abuse that."
The Chairman of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, Lord Bew, has said outside bodies needed to be involved in harassment investigations to avoid claims of a cover up.
"The parties need to get a grip of this issue of accountability. It's vital that these things are not seen to bed one in-house," he told the BBC.
"It is vital that there are people outside Parliament in cases of harassment, and so on, who are there, who can give some reassurance to the public that this is not just another cover up."