Former Staffordshire MP guilty of "brazen" sexual misconduct

Former Conservative MP Aaron Bell has been reprimanded by a parliamentary watchdog after it found he had committed "brazen and drunken" sexual misconduct in a House of Commons bar last year.

Parliament's Standards Commissioner found the former MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme had inappropriately touched a female member of staff while in Stranger's Bar in December 2023.

Mr Bell stood down as an MP at this year's general election, in part due to the investigation into his conduct, meaning there are few sanctions available, but an independent panel said it would have recommended suspending him from Parliament for "a significant period" had he still been an MP.

Responding to the report, Mr Bell said he was "disappointed" at the outcome but had chosen not to appeal against the findings of the investigation.

He said: "I apologise for any upset caused to the complainant and wish to make it clear that I did not intend to cause any distress.

"This investigation was one of the reasons I chose not to seek re-election at the general election - I have let down the loyal members of my association and thank them for the support they gave me as a Member of Parliament. I would also like to apologise to the people of Newcastle-under-Lyme, whom it was an honour to serve."

Mr Bell told the investigation that he had been "clearly dunk", having previously been at other drinks receptions before going to Stranger's Bar, where he joined the complainant and two witnesses.

According to the panel's report, he proceeded to touch her thigh, waist and bottom, causing her "shock, humiliation and fear".

The panel rejected Mr Bell's claim that there had been "mutual flirting", something that had been denied by the complainant, with the Standards Commissioner noting it "would not justify touching without specific consent" in any case.

Although Mr Bell chose not to appeal the finding against him, the commissioner referred his case to the independent panel to decide on the appropriate sanction.

The panel noted that his misconduct was aggravated by the fact he "abused his position over power over the complainant" as both an MP and, at the time, an assistant government whip.

It also found the complainant felt "targeted" as she was "young, female and a junior member of staff who would risk considerable adverse impacts on her career if she made a complaint".

The report added: "It does not reduce the seriousness of the conduct that it took place in a bar.

"No matter how the respondent or others may view that environment, it is in the workplace and is governed by rules and policies on appropriate behaviour.

"Any Member of Parliament in that setting remains a person with particular power and authority. Indeed, sexual misconduct such as this, which is both brazen and drunken, makes the conduct more serious as the level of threat is increased."

As well as noting that Mr Bell would have faced a significant suspension had he still been an MP, the panel said it would have also recommended indefinitely suspending his parliamentary pass had he been eligible for one as a former MP, but he had not served a long enough term to be entitled to one.

It concluded that "the contents of this report will stand as a published reprimand for the respondent's misconduct".

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