and for those without a magnifying glass I think this is the link for that one
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/commentisfree/2017/nov/04/michael-fallon-lunged-at-me-jane-merrick
A pattern of behaviour that has been going on for too long.

Hopkins response to allegations ( denies rubbing on her , admits to.creepy text, implies she was angling for a job?)

1. My first recollection of ever meeting Ava was at the Labour Party Conference in Manchester in September 2014. She was one of approximately 10 party activists who had been present at a fringe reception and who accompanied me and my daughter to an evening meal in Manchester for activists and supporters. She introduced herself as the Chair of Labour Students at Essex University and she joined in the general conversation around the dining table. As I usually do, I let her have my contact details.

2. I next came across Ava when I was canvassing in support of the Labour candidate in the Clacton-on Sea by-election on 9 October 2014. She was one of a number of Labour Party activists who joined me in leafleting and door knocking. I had no prior knowledge at all that Ava would be in Clacton for the by-election. I had a general chat with her about the by-election in the company of the other campaigners.

3. On 11 October 2014 Ava sent me a text message:

“Hi Kelvin, how are you? I was wondering if you would like to come to University of Essex to speak in one of our Labour society socials this term? x Ava”.

4. I then arranged, through the secretary of the student Labour society at Essex University, to speak at Essex on 12 November 2014. I arrived at Colchester mid-afternoon as the social event was due to start at 4.15 pm. I gave my speech to the students. It was a well received talk and involved a lively questions and answers debate with those who were there. After the event, Ava walked me to my car in the car park at the university. There were many people in the general area.

5. The allegation has been made and reported in the press that I “hugged her [Ava] inappropriately” (eg Telegraph newspaper 3 November 2017). Ava is reported to have said, “He hugged me to say goodbye, held me too tight and rubbed his crotch on me, which I found revolting”.

6. I absolutely and categorically deny that I in any way engaged in any such inappropriate conduct. I simply put an arm around her shoulder to give her a brief slight hug just before getting in to my car. I did not hold her tight. I did not rub any part of my body, let alone my crotch, against Ava. She waved me off as I drove away and did not say anything whatsoever to suggest that anything had occurred that upset her let alone revolted her. In fact after I left the University, Ava sent me a text message during the same evening of 12 November timed at 9 pm saying:

“Thank you so much Kelvin for coming tonight!! We had a fantastic time. My members loved you! You’re a star! x Ava”

7. On 15 December 2014 Ava sent me a text message:

“Hi Kelvin, how are you? Could you please send me your post address? I’d like to send you a Christmas card. x Ava”.

8. I gave her my address as House of Commons, Westminster London SW1A 0AA. Her card arrived on 17 December.

9. When I had visited Essex University I had made an invite to the students to visit the House of Commons. I often take groups and individuals on tours of the Palace of Westminster and often dine with my guests in the House. Arrangements were made for a group of about 8 students to come to Westminster early in 2015. I believe the group trip was cancelled but Ava still wanted to visit and came to Westminster on 2 February 2015. It is reported in the press that at that meeting I asked questions about her personal life and that I made her uncomfortable with a suggestion that I would have liked to take her to my office if it were empty. I have no recollection whatsoever of such conversations. I recall the meeting lasting about 2 hours including dining in the Strangers Dining Room which was buzzing with very many other parliamentarians and their guests also having lunch. Shortly after leaving Westminster Ava sent me the following text message on 2 February at 14:50:

“Thank you, Kelvin for today. It was lovely meeting you!xx”

10. On 16 February 2015 I did send a text message to Ava which included the reported words saying Ava was “charming and sweet natured” and that “a nice young man would be lucky to have you as a girlfriend and lover…Were I to be young…but I am not…”. She in fact replied to my text on the same day:

“Oh thank you Kelvin for such kind words. I was ill last week for a couple of days and also I had run for NUS delegate – they announced the results and I got elected with the highest number of votes!! So sorry if I couldn’t speak to you last week x”

11. My only contact with Ava since then was about a year ago when she made contact with me to discuss working in Westminster. She told me that she had applied for a job with a Labour MP and that although she had been shortlisted to the final 2 for the job she nevertheless did not get it. She wanted my advice on how she could possibly have done better. I called her from parliament and advised her that jobs with MPs are difficult to get and I told her for example that my office had no vacancies. I advised her that she should also think about working as a member of staff of the House of Commons and should think about the civil service. I also suggested that as she is bi-lingual (Ava is fluent in Farsi) she could also think about working with the Foreign Office. Our conversation was friendly.

12. I have had no contact with Ava since then and was shocked when I saw the allegations appear online last night and in the papers today. I have always wished and still do wish, Ava the very best of luck in pursuing the career in politics that she wants to follow. I am happy to fully cooperate with the Labour Party to bring to a swift conclusion the investigation that is now being carried out into my conduct.

Press Enquiries:

Martin Howe (Senior Partner) partners@howe.co.uk

Murdoch obviously wants rid of May

While the Mail attacks the woman that accused Green of touching her

Hopkins response to allegations ( denies rubbing on her , admits to.creepy text, implies she was angling for a job?)

That looked not bad up until point 10. Wonder what was left out with all the … and the …! Idiot.

I assume its verbatim but I am guessing

Agreed it all sounds plausible until that text which is at best strange and definitely in the creepy category and absolutely inappropriate

Murdoch obviously wants rid of May

That he can wield this sort of power is not good

i dont like tories but they are a long way above the pond life that he is

Whist I accept the court case decided he knew nothing about phone tapping i was surprised by this and my ill informed opinion was that he is just better at covering his tracks than politicians are

Presumably, though, there isn’t actually a penalty for the higher-ups here. I mean, Sir Michael Fallon remains a ‘sir’, right?

So he ‘retires from politics’ back to some massive mansion somewhere and ‘earns’ a living with a series of things like non-exec directorships, ‘consultancy’ roles involving him being an ‘in’ to the defence ministry for various interests and the odd speaking engagement.

Doesn’t sound too bad and he still gets to monetise the role he has been forced to resign from.

In some lobbying circles he will probably find his serial groping makes him one of the lads and more trustworthy for them.

Makes me want to vomit.

^ Is it not just that he has resigned as a minister but it still the MP for his constituency?

Amber Rudd on Marr now discussing this, she a has a certain little Britain esque quality when she speaks, most insincere.

yourguitarhero – Member
^ Is it not just that he has resigned as a minister but it still the MP for his constituency?

POSTED 3 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

I think so. In any case, there is no real penalty for these people is there?

Power and influence are really what they trade in, marry that to greed from companies and individuals who want an ‘in’ to increase their wealth and it is inevitable that the system stinks.

Who is going to carry more weight with someone who is only interested in money and power? A lobby group funded by charity aiming to improve the lot of ordinary people or a lobby group funded by, for example, arms manufacturers who can dole out non-exec directorships paying hundreds of thousands of pounds a year for about ten hours ‘work’? Pretty obvious. Even better when that ‘work’ entails taking out a couple of old mates from the ministry for a slap up lunch and fine wines, get them pissed and make it clear other non-exec consultancy roles will be available when the time is right (assuming they look after the right interests now).

danny, if you are in his constituency you can start a petition for removal – laws passed to make this happen if you have enough signatures, the standards committee can also examine what he has done and remove him.

Do you need a trial to deal with someone putting their hand on a woman’s knee? Or even attempting a kiss (but failing)? It seems to me that firing them (if they don’t resign) is an appropriate reaction. They both fall below the line at which inappropriate behaviour (fire them) becomes sexual assault (arrest them).

The DM journalist made the point that most MPs were capable of having a drink with her and behaving appropriately. I assume she’s interviewed a lot so we’re looking at a tiny minority of sex pests. That minority needs calling out, but I don’t see the need for every case to go to court. “Innocent until judged guilty” is an unrealistically high level of proof when we’re talking about normes of behaviour, so taking victims seriously and acting on their complaints is essential even if there is no guilty verdict in a court of law.

“Inappropriate behaviour” might not make you guilty of a crime but certainly does make you unsuitable for work in some fields – especially politics. Being kicked out is perhaps punishment enough for some of these politicians – I’ll leave it to prosecutors to decide which.

We all know what to do if political parties refuse to act on plausible multiple complaints – vote for someone else.

Do you need a trial to deal with someone putting their hand on a woman’s knee? Or even attempting a kiss (but failing)? It seems to me that firing them (if they don’t resign) is an appropriate reaction. They both fall below the line at which inappropriate behaviour (fire them) becomes sexual assault (arrest them).

Problem is he has 2 jobs, 1 as a cabinet minister secondly as an MP – people are suggesting he should be out of both – the reason he was fired as a cabinet minister was he couldn’t say there wasn’t going to be more come out.
His statements (along with a few others) have been really telling – they didn’t realise (still don’t) that they were inappropriate or worse, somebody has explained it to them.

You can start an on-line petition to get him removed and write to the Commons’ disciplinary committee, Mike. Failing that you have to wait for the next elections.

Yep, got all that, was just pointing out the 2 levels of being fired.
The fact he remains an MP being paid by the public is not something people are happy about.

Personally I think if you are unfit for public office[cabinet] then you are unfit for public office[ MP]

It might vary depending on issue but this is personal conduct and I dont think you would just get “demoted” in other pubic services for this behaviour.

other pubic services

Best typo ever!

It all comes back to power and how wield it, though.

I had the misfortune to end up talking briefly last night to someone who is a high-up in the masons. It is difficult for me to think of anyone else I know who can be so arrogant and dismissive of those ‘lower-down’ whilst being so obsequious to those ‘above’. I suspect his connections may well have helped his career (retired long ago) as I can’t imagine him being anything more than mediocre in an executive role.

I don’t know this bloke particularly well (father in law of one of my friends), but I’ve never liked him and his overly cocksure manner.

Danny perhaps he might follow Hoon’s example?

http://news.sky.com/story/tory-mp-and-whip-chris-pincher-resigns-from-government-11115753

Another one in trouble

Voluntarily referred himself to police

When’s the first by-elections?

When’s the first by-elections?

I wonder if Ruth (the Mooth) Davidson will be asking the same question.

There won’t be any bye elections. these guys will still be MPs

Even from jail?

Even from jail IIRC. Won’t be able to vote from jail

Fantastic, let them all hand themselves in.. it’s about time.

They’re all down the..

tjagain – Member
Even from jail IIRC. Won’t be able to vote from jail

Prison means resigning as an MP – I think a few will get as far as criminal charges and then resign.
This now becomes a cross party issue for the parliamentary standards committee who should be examining these claims.

It’s getting hard to distinguish between reality and parody

Michael Fallon: It was such a different era a month ago

if they get sent down for more than one year they cannot be an MP

I think most would actually resign – did some MP not do time over the Poll tax via non payment ?

I’m amazed.

For the last several years we have had govt policies that are killing off our poor and vulnerable in large numbers, but barely a hint of outrage from our middle classes.

Sleazy MP touches a knee, and it all goes ballistic.

However at least it’s a start. Any MP who cannot control predatory sexual urges* is not fit to be trusted because he is now a potential blackmail target.

So can we now have some outrage over the Austerity Genocide?

*I’m not aware of any female MPs acting in a predatory manner.

I don’t disagree, however the situation you are railing against is difficult to act on because it’s collective policy decisions – who’s actually to blame apart from all of them.

I see it as a ‘bit’ like the Al Capone situation (not making light of the abuse of power / sexual politics) – but this is something that can be used individually against the sleazebags and get results. So rather than be disappointed that we can’t get them for policies, rejoice that we can at least get them for something.

theotherjonv – Member
…rejoice that we can at least get them for something.

Oh I am. 🙂

At any other time Patel would proabbly be in a lot more hot water

but westminster is such a clusterfuk of incompetence right now that it barely registers

@BBCJLandale
Breaking: BBC told that @patel4witham met Israeli Prime Minister Benjaming @netanyahu while on holiday to Israel without telling FCO
1:39 PM – Nov 6, 2017

Breaking: BBC told that @patel4witham met Israeli Prime Minister Benjaming @netanyahu while on holiday to Israel without telling FCO

— James Landale (@BBCJLandale) November 6, 2017

And lied about telling the Press that they’d cleared it with BloJo, when in fact he knew nothing about it.

I’m loving the recriminations and accusations targeted at MPs and People holding High Office.
There are people way more motivated than me to interrogate and probe into the real truths, so I’m going to let them publish their findings without me making any accusations of my own.
But Boy, these recent revelations are both damming and hilarious and I’m loving it.

And lied about telling the Press that they’d cleared it with BloJo, when in fact he knew nothing about it.

tbf borris is clueless about most things, so I can see how she thought she’d get away with that one

Breaking: BBC told that @patel4witham met Israeli Prime Minister Benjaming @netanyahu while on holiday to Israel without telling FCO

yes, but did she try to touch him up, surely that is the issue we are concerned with at the moment ?

or he/her?

I have a question- these MPs are resigning, being sacked and/or suspended, but as far as I can tell this is only from ministerial positions that they held. Are any of them actually no longer an MP? Or does that happen later?

The reason why I’m asking is that it looks like there are 8 Tory and 4 Labour MPs facing investigation for sexual misconduct, and if they all go then it could make a difference to the balance of power in the House of Commons, couldn’t it?

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/nov/06/westminster-sexual-misconduct-allegations-the-mps-accused-so-far

for some reason the chutzpah of PP really jars on this one.

She’s claiming she was on a family holiday, and just happened to arrange 12 business meetings with top-ranking government officials.

THAT’S NOT WHAT A HOLIDAY IS, YOU NUGGET

my god

I thought it was tax dodging?

The reason why I’m asking is that it looks like there are 8 Tory and 4 Labour MPs facing investigation for sexual misconduct, and if they all go then it could make a difference to the balance of power in the House of Commons, couldn’t it?

It could, but then it could also make no difference as the tory could just be replaced with another tory (presumably a less touchy/feely one) at the by election. Depends how marginal the seats are really.