Labour MP apologises for 'unwelcome' behaviour towards female colleagues but denies harassment

A former Labour minister has denied sexually
harassing a 19-year-old girl, but accepted his
behaviour to female colleagues had been
“unwelcome”.
Ivan Lewis, who was International Development
minister under Gordon Brown, made the denial in a
statement after a woman reportedly alleged he
repeatedly touched her leg and invited her back to his
house in 2010, when she was 19.
Lewis denied that he ever made “non consensual
sexual comments or sexual advances to women”.
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A woman, who has not been named, alleged to
BuzzFeed News Lewis had repeatedly stroked her leg
with his leg at a fundraiser in his Bury South
constituency.
She reportedly claimed, he repeatedly asked her to go
back to his house, even after he declined.
Mr Lewis denies the account.
In a statement delivered through his lawyer, Lewis
said he had: “good professional relationships and
enduring friendships with virtually all my female
colleagues.”
But he added: “I understand that a few women have
claimed that my behaviour made them feel
uncomfortable.
"I have on occasion asked women I work with out for
drinks or dinner, or developed strong feelings for
them, and I am genuinely sorry if this was unwelcome
or inappropriate in the circumstances, and caused
anyone to feel awkward.”
In 2007, while he was a health minister, Lewis
apologised for “bombarding” a female aide with
inappropriate text messages.
He sent the mobile phone texts to Susie Mason, 25,
while she was working in his private office.
She told her bosses, who moved her to another job at
her request.
No action was taken against Health Minister Mr Lewis,
41, as she made no formal complaint.
His texts commented on her looks and clothes and
asked for dates. A source insisted: "It was not just
one or two - there were dozens and the content was
over-familiar. It must have spooked her enormously."

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