If this hysterical Westminster witch hunt is what a world run by women looks like, count me out
by Sarah Vine, Mailonline:
Halloween may be over, but the Westminster witch hunt is only just getting under way.
On Monday, Andrea Leadsom, Leader of the House of Commons, told MPs she would be ‘setting the bar significantly below criminal activity’ when it came to eradicating ‘inappropriate behaviour’ by members.
She was speaking in response to allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct made against a number of unnamed MPs by a group of about half a dozen present and former parliamentary researchers in a so-called ‘dirty dossier’.
Allegations are rather vague and vary wildly, from being ‘handsy’ at parties to ‘impregnating’ a woman. Leadsom, by contrast, was unequivocal.
‘If people are made to feel uncomfortable, then that is not correct,’ she told the House. ‘In terms of the consequences for the perpetrators, I think I have also been perfectly clear: in the case of staff, they could forfeit their jobs; in the case of Members of Parliament, they could have the whip withdrawn and they could be fired from ministerial office.’
Watching her grim expression and hearing her speak, I was reminded of that line in Arthur Miller’s 1953 play The Crucible: ‘We are what we always were in Salem, but now the little crazy children are jangling the keys of the kingdom, and common vengeance writes the law!’
Related Posts
Tags
Share This
