LABOUR MP Liam Byrne looks set to be suspended from the Commons for two days after parliament’s watchdog said he was guilty of bullying a former member of staff.
Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone said his behaviour was a "significant misuse of power".
According to the BBC, David Barker complained to the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) about the MP two years ago, following a minor disagreement about food bank collections.
He was then sent home and then subsequently ignored by Mr Byrne.
Mr Barker said was subsequently signed off work with stress on 4 June. He said the Birmingham Hodge Hill MP had made no efforts to contact him before being told a month later his contract would not be renewed.
The Independent Expert Panel which considered the punishment said the Birmingham Hodge Hill MP abused his position of power and ostracized the staff member by ceasing personal contact with him for several months and denying him access to his Parliamentary IT account.
The panel said Mr Byrne “sought to present his actions as a reasonable HR strategy” but added: “We disagree. It was bullying.
“He should, as he now accepts, have tackled any misconduct through a proper disciplinary process not by ostracizing the complainant.”
The panel recommended that Mr Byrne should be suspended for two sitting days on the condition that he also make a written apology to the complainant and undertake training and take action to address the causes of his behaviour and weaknesses in the management of his office.
Mr Byrne said he had apologised to the complainant in his case and the situation had been a “valuable lesson for me and one I am determined to learn”.
In a statement he said: “I am extremely grateful to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards and to the Independent Expert Panel for their thorough investigation and careful judgement.
“I am very lucky to work with an amazing, happy team of people, who together have almost 40 years of combined service to my constituents in our Westminster and Hodge Hill offices where we’re determined to provide the best possible service and voice to what is the most income-deprived constituency in England.
“However, 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.”
A party spokesman said: “The Labour Party fully supports the recommendations of this independent report, including the proposed sanction.”
He said he had raised this with Labour figures but added the issue had never been resolved.
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