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After a parliamentary researcher reported her drink had been spiked in the Strangers’ Bar in the Houses of Parliament on January 7th, police have launched an investigation into the incident. The bar is open to MPs, their guests and parliamentary staff. Although the woman reported the issue to security and bar staff, no arrests have been made at this time. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said the victim was being supported while the investigation was conducted.
A spokesperson for the UK Parliament confirmed the alleged spiking and reported it to parliamentary security. The matter is now being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Service. Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect trade union, expressed concern about the incident, saying “This is a very concerning alleged incident, especially given the long history of allegations about behaviour in Parliament.”.
Recently, a committee looking at the modernisation of Parliament received plans submitted by a group of Labour backbench MPs just before Christmas that called for sales of alcohol to be curbed during office hours. The Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS), which acts as Parliament’s official complaints authority, criticised Westminster’s heavy drinking culture as a “frequent factor” in breaches of the code of conduct. The government has already promised to crack down on violence against women and girls through the Crime and Policing Bill, and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described spiking as “a disturbing and serious crime which can have a damaging and long-lasting impact on victims”.
The incident is extremely concerning for parliamentary staff, who have the right to feel safe at their workplace. The investigation will hopefully provide answers to the questions everyone is asking around safety measures and prevention of potential attackers in Parliament
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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