Delyn MP’s office door smashed as he prepares to re-take his seat after suspension
The door of Delyn’s MP Rob Roberts has been smashed by vandals, as he is set to return to work following suspension for sexual harassment.
Posting on Facebook, he said that the actions had been “wreckless [sic] and dangerous”.
The politician will retake his seat on Thursday. He had been banned from the House of Commons by the Independent Expert Panel (IEP) for six weeks at the end of May.
The panel found he’d made repeated and unwanted sexual advances towards a former member of staff, as well as inappropriate comments of a sexual nature.
Finding the damage inflicted on his office in Mold town centre, Rob Roberts posted a picture of the smashed door online.
“Criminal damage is not acceptable,” he said. “At some point over the weekend, somebody has tried to smash the glass on my front door.
“These actions are wreckless and dangerous. This has been reported to the police and we will be reviewing our CCTV. If anybody has any information please contact the police using 101.”
Anyone with information should contact the police on 101 quoting reference Z096188.
‘Inappropriate’
The whip was withdrawn from Mr Roberts in May, leaving him effectively an independent MP, and there were calls for him to do the “honourable” thing and resign.
The MP’s misconduct was described as “significant” in the report, while Prime Minister Boris Johnson described his punishment as “appropriate”.
He steadfastly ignored those calls and will be able to retake his seat in the House from 00.01am on 8 July.
Some Members of Parliament wanted the recall clause, when an MP is forced to face a by-election, to be invoked in Mr Roberts case but a loophole in the recall procedure meant he evaded the process.
Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said he would be discussing whether the loophole could be closed.
In a separate incident Mr Roberts admitted that asking out a 21 year-old intern, who he invited to “fool around with no strings” in London, was “inappropriate”.
When asked if he felt he should be readmitted to the Conservative Party Mr Roberts said it was “a matter for the Chief Whip”.
Questioned about whether he felt the six-week ban was “proportionate” his response suggested he felt it was too severe.
He said: “An appeal was made both against the decision and the sanction.”
A spokesman for the MP added: “Mr Roberts was elected as the Member of Parliament for Delyn and he fully intends to continue working hard for the people of the constituency as he has for the past 18 months.”
Additional reporting by Jez Hemming of the local democracy reporting service.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
