Labour MP tried to 'isolate' parliamentary worker from support after harassment claim against colleague, tribunal told
An employment tribunal has been told that an MP tried to isolate a parliamentary worker from support after she claimed she had been sexually harassed by a Labour colleague.
A woman, referred to as Ms A to protect her identity, has accused the former Hartlepool MP Mike Hill of sexual assault, sexual harassment and victimisation.
He denies the allegations.
The tribunal heard from Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen on Wednesday, May 12 2021.
He said that Ms A told him that she was being harassed by Mr Hill, and he gave her some advice.He said that several months later he was approached by another Labour MP, who was a parliamentary assistant to Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the party at the time.In his witness statement, Mr Bridgen said that the Labour MP told him: "If I were you, I would keep away from her."Mr Bridgen described this as the Labour MP trying to "intimidate" him and "isolate" Ms A from support.
He said he regarded the remarks as "malicious" and "designed to scare me away from offering Ms A any help or support."We asked the Labour MP for a response today.
She said: "I am absolutely clear that any complaint of sexual harassment should be treated extremely seriously and had this been raised with me I would have taken the necessary action.
"It was never my intention to undermine the support the complainant was receiving, which I was unaware of at the time.
"If that is what Mr Bridgen was led to believe, I apologise for my error in judgement in having the conversation."
The employment tribunal, taking place via videolink, continues.