By Dr Gaurav Sharma, MP
In December last year I gave the following screenshots in print to the Chief of Staff of Prime Minister when I made complaints about then Chief Whip Kieran McAnulty and his bullying. These are some of the messages from MPs who were also being bullied. One of the MPs spent almost 3 hours in tears talking about how they were being treated. Others asked me how to fake a Covid test so they didn’t have to come to Parliament because of how much they were scared of being bullied.
I specifically flagged to the Chief of Staff in our meeting that there were many members of caucus in this situation and I was worried about their mental health as well as lack of any support or due process. This isn’t just any staff, this is the Chief of Staff of PMO. I specifically said that this needed to be investigated but nothing was done at all. Instead a few months later Kieran was promoted to a Minister of the Crown unfortunately sending a message to caucus members being bullied that their well-being and concerns didn’t matter.
On Friday Prime Minister specifically said that she has been aware of issues surrounding me for a long time which obviously would include these claims as well as printed evidence I provided. On Tuesday in a meeting while discussing about Sam Uffindell’s issues with National Party, she specifically mentioned that something similar wouldn’t happen in Labour because she was advised of everything that happened in Caucus as well as within the Party.
After 1.5 years of going through every manager, every office, knocking every door in Parliament I never got heard. Even after I wrote an op-Ed last week raising my concerns there was an attempt to deny that bullying existed or any serious allegations were made. In addition to that the party machinery has been trying to deflect the situation by trying to dig my past and make accusations about me. I could be a hardened criminal with 30 years of prison record or a murderer but that should not stop me from getting a fair independent hearing re my concerns.
The Labour MP has received strong support by his people.
I have been told since my op-Ed came out that I shouldn’t talk to the media and instead should raise things with the Whips or the Leader but that’s exactly what I have tried to do for last 1.5 years without being heard at all. And now I am being silenced again as such the bullying continues.
I have been driven to this point because even now the party and it’s leadership refuses to believe that there is a problem.
It’s a sad day for our democracy.
[these screenshots are from other MPs. I have cropped their name to protect their privacy]
