Chris Bryant has said he has been sexually assaulted by fellow MPs on several occasions during his time in parliament.
The chair of the House of Commons standards committee has made the revelation in his new book, Code of Conduct, Why We Need to Fix Parliament – and How to Do it.
“Over the years five male MPs have felt my bottom uninvited,” he wrote in the book, extracts of which have been published by the i paper.
“One of them, who was not out, did so repeatedly. Another, who is still in the house and still does not accept that he is gay, pushed me against a wall and felt my crotch. Another rubbed himself behind me in the queue to vote and was later snogging two men in the Strangers’ Bar. I know other gay MPs and staff who have faced the same.”
Bryant has been prominent in drawing attention to misconduct in parliament, and is senior among those charged with upholding standards among MPs.
Last year, he told LBC radio: “I remember when I came out in 2001, I was regularly touched up by older, senior, gay – they weren’t out – MPs. I never felt I was able to report it because you end up being part of the story, and that’s the last thing you want. And I think a lot of women have been through that.”
He added: “I can think of four MPs in division lobbies. I was shocked at the time and I bet you could guess who the four MPs are.”
Responding to the claims, Nadine Dorries – who is under fire for prioritising her media work over her responsibilities as an MP – called the accusations “attention seeking”.
Bryant responded by asking when she next intends to turn up to parliament or resigning ‘with immediate effect’, comments he echoed here.
Related: 2014 clip of Nadine Dorries bigging herself up as a ‘constituent MP’ goes viral
