UK’s Labour suspends lawmaker after report of inappropriate behaviour

LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s opposition Labour Party suspended lawmaker Geraint Davies on Thursday following allegations, first reported by Politico, of inappropriate behaviour towards younger female colleagues.

Politico said five women had told them Davies subjected them to “unwanted sexual attention” – both physical and verbal – after coming into contact with them through his work in parliament.

“These are incredibly serious allegations of completely unacceptable behaviour,” a Labour spokesperson said via e-mail. “We strongly encourage anyone with a complaint to come forward to the Labour Party’s investigation.”

Davies did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for a comment.

Politico cited a statement from him in which he said: “I don’t recognize the allegations suggested and do not know who has made them. None of them, as far as I know, has been lodged as complaints with the Labour Party or parliament.”

(Reporting by Muvija M; Editing by William James)