Caroline Nokes, chairwoman of the Elected Committee on Women and Equality, and Karen Bradley, chairwoman of the Committee on Procedures, also said that any Tory MP under investigation for “sexual misconduct” should remove Tories’ whip. The letter reads: “Recent events have demonstrated an inconsistent and vague approach by the Party in cases of sexual harassment. The Party and, consequently, the Government are in danger of being severely damaged in the reputation by the current approach. “We urge you to act quickly to introduce a code of conduct for all conservative members of Parliament, which is clear about expectations of conduct and which can be applied in a fair, independent manner to avoid any suspicion of bias. “In the meantime, we ask you to implement a zero-tolerance policy on these issues and to ensure that a thorough investigation is carried out in each case. “Once the investigation is completed, a decision should be made to return the whip, but in the meantime, anyone subject to such an investigation should not be allowed to sit as a Conservative MP and represent the party in any capacity.”
