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Lee Anderson, the Reform UK MP for Ashfield, has been ordered to apologise after he verbally insulted a security officer twice. An investigation revealed that Anderson used inappropriate language towards the guard when asked to display his pass as he attempted to enter the Parliamentary estate in November of last year. Initially, Anderson dismissed the allegations and called the investigation biased. However, he later admitted to using inappropriate language and cited challenging personal circumstances as the reason behind his conduct.
Following the verdict by the Independent Expert Panel, Anderson apologised to the officer and the Commons, promising that such behaviour would not happen again. During the incident, the security officer reported that Anderson swore at him, stating that everyone opens the door for him. When the guard persisted, Anderson swore again before departing, claiming that he had to catch a train. Although Anderson denied swearing and dismissed the exchange as a difference of opinion, the standards commissioner upheld the complaint against him.
Anderson appealed the decision, arguing that the CCTV footage of the incident did not have sound and that there was no evidence to support or disprove which words he had used. However, the panel found Anderson’s claim to be groundless and ordered him to issue a pre-agreed apology in writing to the security officer and the Commons. Although the panel recognised that Anderson faced challenging personal circumstances on the day, it also acknowledged the power imbalance between the officer and the MP.
In a statement to the Commons, Anderson accepted the panel’s verdict and expressed his remorse, emphasising the importance of treating security staff with the utmost of respect. He gave a firm undertaking that his behaviour would never happen again. Despite switching to Reform UK in March after being elected as a Tory in 2019, Anderson found himself at the centre of controversy. He has since acknowledged his mistakes and followed the protocol issued by the Independent Expert Panel
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