Labour frontbencher ‘made vulgar sexual comments to female MP’

An MP has spoken out about lewd comments allegedly made to her by a member of the shadow cabinet.

She said she was described as a “secret weapon” because “women want to be her friend” and men want to sleep with her.

The Welsh MP, who wants to remain anonymous, said it was not the only sexist or misogynistic behaviour she experienced in Parliament or on parliamentary business.

Senior Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth said the claims should be investigated.

The shadow work and pensions secretary told BBC Breakfast: “All these claims that we are hearing about, it is shocking, foul [and] disgusting, but is also utterly depressing because Parliament in my view is still the arena in which the big issues of the day are sorted out.

“I would now expect the Labour Party to look into that.”

A spokesperson for the party said that if a complaint was made it would be taken “extremely seriously”.

But the MP said that after consulting her team she felt it was not in her best interests to reveal her identity in public or to make a complaint.