Liam Byrne: former employee of Labour MP speaks out after bullying report

The MP has apologised for his conduct against his former staff
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A former assistant to Birmingham MP Liam Byrne has described how his work environment turned into a “daily source of torment” after an investigation found the MP had bullied him.

Hodge Hill MP Mr Byrne is set to be suspended from the Commons for two days for bullying the member of staff.

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The former cabinet minister has apologised for his conduct against former staff member David Barker, who worked in his Birmingham Hodge Hill constituency.

Mr Byrne was found to have ostracised Mr Barker between March 20 and the end of July 2020, including disabling his parliamentary email account for a period.

The MP said he was “profoundly sorry” and had apologised.

Liam Byrne is facing being suspended from the CommonsLiam Byrne is facing being suspended from the Commons
Liam Byrne is facing being suspended from the Commons

Employee describes ‘daily torment’

In an interview with the BBC, Mr Barker said he had felt ostracised while working for the MP.

He said: “It was always difficult, it was always challenging.

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“I stuck at it for a long time, and longer than I should have done, and I should have seen the red flags before I did.

“I would say it went from being a difficult work environment where people were generally happy, to being a daily source of torment for everyone involved after he was selected to be Labour’s candidate for mayor.”

He added: It’s hard to describe how difficult it was, to make sense of what was going on when someone would not talk to you, or would not reply to you.

“I was confused at first, and other members of staff thought he’ll apologise to you today, over the weekend maybe, or at the very least next week.

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“Over the next two weeks I alerted him on six separate days that I’d developed every symptom of Covid, and it was when he ignored me then I started to really worry that for just some reason he was just going to ignore me potentially as long as the lockdown lasted.”

Report says “it was bullying”

The report foundd that the ostracization followed a dispute between Mr Byrne and Mr Barker at the constituency office which prompted the MP to send the complainant home.

Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone upheld a single allegation of bullying against Mr Byrne following a complaint made under Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS).

The independent expert panel that considered the punishment for Mr Byrne said the MP abused his position of power.

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The panel said he “sought to present his actions as a reasonable HR strategy” but “we disagree”.

“It was bullying,” the report said.

“He should, as he now accepts, have tackled any misconduct through a proper disciplinary process not by ostracising the complainant.”

The panel recommended that Mr Byrne should be suspended for two sitting days on condition that he also make a written apology to the complainant, and he should undertake training and take action to address the causes of his behaviour and weaknesses in the management of his office.

Labour MP Liam Byrne has been suspended from the House of Commons after he was found to have bullied a former assistant. (Credit: PA)Labour MP Liam Byrne has been suspended from the House of Commons after he was found to have bullied a former assistant. (Credit: PA)
Labour MP Liam Byrne has been suspended from the House of Commons after he was found to have bullied a former assistant. (Credit: PA)

What has Liam Byrne said about his suspension?

Mr Byrne said he was “profoundly sorry” and the situation had been a “valuable lesson for me and one I am determined to learn”.

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In a statement he said: “Two years ago at the beginning of lockdown, following a workplace dispute that led me to send the complainant home… I did not resolve the dispute correctly with a proper disciplinary process, and having nevertheless extended the complainant’s contract, thereby failed to fulfil my obligations as an employer and Parliament’s Behaviour Code.

“This constituted an ostracism which was a breach of Parliament’s Behaviour Code which I strongly support, and caused distress for which I am profoundly sorry. I have apologised in full to the individual concerned.

“I’m incredibly grateful to the panel for recognising the genuine remorse I felt about the impact on the individual concerned, the steps I have already taken to ensure this never happens again along with the work still to do, and for concluding that I did not deliberately act to delay the investigation.

“This has been a valuable lesson for me and one I am determined to learn as me and my team seek to offer the best possible service and voice for the residents of Hodge Hill.”

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