MPs can be sacked with new tougher sexual harassment sanctions

MPs who have bullied or sexually harassed their co-workers and staff will face stricter new sanctions for their actions and could be suspended.

In some cases, they will have to write an apology letter and undergo training to improve their behaviour in the workplace, but in more severe cases they could be suspended or face a public vote on their future.

Due to the number of cases of sexual harassment and bullying in Parliament that have come to light over the past few months, now a trained sexual advisor will be appointed to support those affected.

This means that the victims will be able to complain to an independent channel and not directly to the party.

The cross-party committee that has agreed on the new rules have also called for a new code of behaviour that applies to everyone in Parliament, there will also be new training courses to instruct everyone on how to proceed in such situations.

Some MP’s complained that all the measures were unnecessary because they already knew how to behave. Nonetheless, Caroline Lucas, Green MP went on record saying that "the MPs kicking up the most fuss about the training are precisely the ones who should be first in queue for it."

Aside from the new rules, a survey has also been carried out that revealed more than 250 people said they had seen sexual harassment in the past year, with a further 39% of the 1,377 people interviewed saying they had experienced bullying in the past 12 months.

A worrying 50% of respondents said they didn’t trust the authorities' management of complaints.

Commons leader Andrea Leadsom has said she wants to "make parliament a safe place to work where everyone feels respected and valued.”

"Where there is serious wrongdoing a member could lose their seat or be expelled, and a member of staff could be dismissed. The public would not expect anything less."