Sex scandals: British minister targeted by investigation
Mark Garnier admitted that he gave his secretary a nickname of a sexual nature and gave him money to buy two sex toys
The British government announced Sunday an investigation into the actions of the Minister for International Trade, who admitted to having asked his secretary to buy sex toys, at a time when several politicians are accused of having inappropriate attitudes towards their female employees .
Conservative MP Mark Garnier acknowledged Sunday in the newspaper The Mail on Sunday that he has given his secretary a nickname of a sexual nature and given him money to buy two sex toys, while saying "that did not constitute sexual harassment ". An investigation will be conducted to determine whether the Ministerial Code of Conduct has been violated, Health Minister Jeremy Hunt announced on BBC 1. He added that Prime Minister Theresa May would write to the Speaker of Parliament John Bercow, on charges of harassment and sexual assault against several parliamentarians.
According to the British press, at least four MPs are targeted by these accusations which have been described as "deeply worrying" by a spokeswoman for the Prime Minister. Downing Street had warned that "serious measures" would be taken against ministers who acted inappropriately.
Meanwhile, former Conservative Minister Stephen Crabb admitted Sunday that he sent "explicit" messages to a 19-year-old woman he had received for a job interview in 2013. Stephen Crabb had to resign last year after an incident of the same type.
"Degrading culture thrives behind the scenes of power"
"These stories, if true, are obviously totally unacceptable," responded the health minister on BBC1. "There are parents whose daughters study politics in the hope of getting a job at Westminster and they need to be sure that if they get this job, their daughters will not be subject to some of the behaviors we observe. ", he added.
On Saturday, Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn claimed that a "degrading culture exists and thrives behind the scenes of power, including Westminster," a "culture that has tolerated violence against women for far too long." On the same day, UK Environment Minister Michael Gove apologized for a dubious joke about Harvey Weinstein.
Entering the BBC Radio 4 studio, "it's like entering Harvey Weinstein's bedroom-hope to emerge with his dignity intact," the minister had said live on the radio, referring to the American producer accused of sexual harassment, sexual assault and rape. A joke that had sparked laughter and applause in the studio but had been widely condemned on social networks.
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