Labour MP Jess Phillips says colleagues Jared O'Mara and Kelvin Hopkins should be sacked over harassment claims
2 min read
Labour MP Jess Phillips has called for her parliamentary colleagues Jared O'Mara and Kelvin Hopkins to be sacked over allegations about their behaviour towards women.
In a string of highly-charged tweets, the Birmingham Yardley MP also hit out at those using the Westminster harassment scandal to score "petty" party political points.
Her comments came amid the ongoing row over the appointment of Toby Young to the board of a new universities watchdog, following the emergence of a string of offensive social media posts.
Sheffield Hallam MP Mr O'Mara has been suspended from Labour amid an investigation into claims he called a barmaid an "ugly bitch".
Mr Hopkins is also the subject of a party inquiry into claims he sexually harassed Labour activist Ava Etemadzadeh and sent her suggestive texts.
The veteran MP has said he "absolutely and categorically" denies allegations he rubbed his crotch on Ms Etemadzadeh in 2014.
The Luton North MP has also been accused of harassing fellow Labour MP Kerry McCarthy - claims he also denies.
Ms Phillips said she was concerned that the alleged victims of sexual harassment were being treated as an afterthought in the quest for politicians to make capital out of the ongoing controversy.
As well as her Labour colleagues, Ms Phillips said recently sacked Tory minister Damian Green should have lost his job as an MP, while Mr Young should also not have been appointed as a board member of the newly-created Office for Students.
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