The Observer - 25.08.2019

The Observer

News 25.08.19 27

Abuse survivors to take on fi ve

MPs at next general election

Five members of parliament accused
of assault or sexual harassment will
face survivors of violence and abuse
on the stump at the next general elec-
tion, with the new candidates repre-
senting the Women’s Equality Party
on an anti-violence platform.
The WEP is pushing for stronger
action nationally, after years of
cuts to vital domestic violence sup-
port services, and in Westminster,
where they claim there is a culture
of impunity.
“If parliament won’t hold these
men to account, then we will hold
them to account at the ballot box,”
said Serena Laidley, WEP candi-
date for Luton North. She will stand
against Kelvin Hopkins, a Labour
MP suspended from the party while
under investigation for sexual har-
assment allegations.
No MP has stepped down because
of sexual violence or abuse of women,
although some have lost their party
whip. A recent survey found one in

Emma Graham-Harrison

Culture teaching at

risk as jobs row hits

British Library

‘Gig economy’ dispute

follows similar battle

at National Gallery

A valuable fund of literary knowl-
edge and teaching expertise will be
lost when the British Library “stream-
lines” its team of educators, many of
whom have clocked up dedicated ser-
vice in the schools programme. This
is the claim of campaigners against
“upsetting” changes at the national
library, based in King’s Cross, London.

The growing row, which bears

strong similarities to a successful

battle recently waged by a group of

27 former National Gallery educators ,

started this spring when the regular

“freelance” British Library team were

told they had to apply for a smaller

number of permanent jobs.

More than 20 educators are thought

to be affected by the effort to put the

library’s staff on a more offi cial foot-

ing. The move is partly designed to

avoid accusations that the institution

is part of an exploitative “gig econ-

omy” operating in the cultural sector.

But the new jobs, full- or part-time,

are not suited to many of the former

team, due to other academic commit-

Vanessa Thorpe

ments and domestic responsibilities.

Labour MP Helen Hayes, a sup-

porter of the National Gallery 27,

believes the role of all freelance

experts across Britain’s cultural sec-

tor should be protected, and is calling

for a parliamentary response.

She told the Observer: “I am pleased

that the NG27 educators have been

successful in their campaign and have

A group of National Gallery educators won a battle for their rights as workers.

Ivan Lewis:

under

investigation

over claims

of sexual

harassment.

Charlie

Elphicke:

charged with

three counts

of sexual

assault.

Mark Field:

caught on

camera

grabbing

woman by

the neck.

Kelvin

Hopkins:

suspended

and faces

harassment

allegations.

Jared

O’Mara: ‘sent

messages

during a

mental

health crisis’.

ACCUSED MPs

now reached a resolution with the

National Gallery. However, this case

has highlighted the precarious work-

ing conditions of many in the culture

sector. I have written separately to the

chair of the public account committee

and the chair of the DCMS select com-

mittee calling for an inquiry into the

wider employment practices across

the culture sector and the use of pub-

lic funds to protect the corrupt gig

economy.”

A spokesperson for the British

Library told the Observer that recruit-

ment of a team for its national schools

programme was “ongoing”.

“The team providing the learn-

ing sessions has been restructured,

from the previous zero-hour, cas-

ual-worker arrangement to a smaller

number of full-time salaried posi-

tions,” the spokesperson added.

“The new roles were ring fenced to

the existing team of workshop lead-

ers, who were then invited to apply,

after which the remaining roles were

opened up to external applicants.”

A new schools programme, to con-

tinue the library’s work with children ,

is to be relaunched this autumn, set

up in parallel with an expansion of

its building at St Pancras. The exten-

sion is to house business and exhibi-

tion spaces and a new headquarters

for the Alan Turing Institute.

The library already has a centre

near Leeds, a storage facility at Boston

Spa, housing a 300-year-old news-

paper archive. There are early plans

to establish a British Library North.

fi ve people who work in parliament

reported they had been sexually har-

assed in a single year.

Jenn Selby, WEP candidate for

Cities of London and Westminster,

said that violence cannot be tack-

led while men suspected of violence

remain in positions of power. “As long

as they continue to infl uence legisla-

tion that affects the lives of women

and girls , we cannot hope to create a

more equal future or one that is free

from violence,” she said.

Selby will stand against

Conservative MP Mark Field, who

was caught on camera grabbing a

woman by the neck. He was fired

from his ministerial role over the

incident, but prime minister Boris

Johnson dropped the investigation

into Field’s actions when he took over

from Theresa May.

Field said in a statement in June

he had reacted “instinctively” to an

intruder and “unreservedly apolo-

gised” to the woman.

The WEP has launched its new

policy now because Johnson is

expected by many to call an election

within weeks or months.

Three other MPs will also face

survivors. The fi rst is Jared O’Mara,

ex-Labour MP for Sheffi eld Hallam

who was accused of sexual harass-

ment. In a statement in July O’Mara,

now an independent, admitted he

sent messages during a mental

health crisis that were “not of a sober

or rational mind”. He was arrested

last week on suspicion of fraud, the

BBC reported.

The others are Charlie Elphicke,

Conservative MP for Dover, who has

been charged with three counts of

sexual assault , and Ivan Lewis, inde-

pendent MP for Bury South. He quit

the Labour party last year before an

investigation into sexual harassment

allegations had been completed.

Elphicke, Lewis and Hopkins have

denied any wrongdoing.

The WEP wants changes to the

law governing when MPs can be

recalled, and an independent inves-

tigations system for allegations of

violence, harassment and assault. They

also want to reverse years of cuts to

refuges and other support for domes-

tic violence survivors.

Sue Black, W EP candidate for

London mayor, unveiled the new

policy on theguardian.com , say-

ing it was unacceptable that

MPs could lose their seats over

expenses fraud but not for allegedly

mistreating women.

‘If parliament won’t

hold these men to

account, we will hold

them to account at

the ballot box’

Serena Laidley, WEP