Protestors surrounded the constituency office of Conservative MP and minister Nadhim Zahawi who has come under fire for attending the notorious Presidents Club dinner where women were groped and harassed – despite claims he ‘left early’.
A group of 50 demonstrators congregated outside Mr Zahawi’s office in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire today demanding answers about the scandal-hit male-only gala.
The MP and children’s minister, 50, has faced calls to resign and been reprimanded by the Prime Minister after it was revealed he attended the charity dinner at London’s Dorchester Hotel on January 18.
The annual event was shut down after an undercover sting by the Financial Times revealed hostesses were handpicked for their good looks and ‘treated like prostitutes’, groped and harassed by wealthy businessmen.
A group of 50 demonstrators congregated outside Nadhim Zahawi’s office in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire today demanding answers about the scandal-hit male-only gala
The MP and children’s minister, 50, has faced calls to resign and been reprimanded by the Prime Minister after it was revealed he attended the charity dinner at London’s Dorchester Hotel on January 18
Pictured: Mr Zahawi has been Conservative MP for Stratford-upon-Avon since 2010 and was recently promoted to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education
Mr Zahawai, who was promoted to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education in the recent cabinet reshuffle, condemned the behaviour of his fellow dinner guests.
He tweeted: ‘I do unequivocally condemn this behaviour. The report is truly shocking. I will never attend a men only function ever.’
But protesters today claimed they have not seen the Stratford-upon-Avon MP since news of the scandal broke and want an explanation from their elected representative.
Delivering an open letter written by Labour MP and Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner, they maintained ‘serious questions remained unanswered’.
They held signs saying ‘No ifs, no buts, we want answers’ and ‘Size up your life, how do you measure up?’
Protesters today claimed they have not seen the Stratford-upon-Avon MP since news of the scandal broke and want an explanation from their elected representative
Resident Anne Blackman, 59, of Alcester, Warkshire who attended the protest, said: ‘As a constituent I want to know why he was there.
‘He has not been seen since the scandal broke and I want answers.
‘We deserve to hear from him and coming to his office on a Sunday seemed the only way to get his attention.’
Another protester fumed: ‘Zahawi is treating his constituents with utter contempt. If he’s a man of integrity he should meet with us and explain himself.
‘The longer he gives us, the people who voted for him, the cold shoulder the more he drags this wonderful town through the mud with him.’
Mr Zahawai, who was promoted to Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Education in the recent cabinet reshuffle, condemned the behaviour of his fellow dinner guests
The ‘Women’s Protest’ was organised by local mother-of-two Emma Bradley, 35, who is also the vice chairman of Stratford Labour Women.
She said: ‘Mr Zahawi needs to answer these questions. In true fashion he has gone to ground.
‘We posted Angela Rayner’s letter through the letterbox so hopefully it will be on his desk tomorrow morning.
‘We understand someone was in his office but they chose not to engage with us.
‘This is not a political issue, we are constituents who are demanding answers.’
MailOnline has contacted Mr Zahawi’s office for comment.
This week two online petitions have emerged calling for his resignation.
This week two online petitions (pictured) have emerged calling for his resignation
Delivering an open letter (pictured) written by Labour MP and Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner, they maintained ‘serious questions remained unanswered’
One reads: ‘Nadhim Zahawi attended the Presidents Club event in his capacity as Minister and front bench Conservative MP.
‘An event where women were sexually abused and threatened to be fired if they spoke out. He has failed to hold the high expectations we expect from a Minister.
‘We demand his resignation and if that fails, we demand Theresa May to fire him as a Minister for Children and Families.
‘It is unacceptable that a Minister just stayed quiet at such a event. It is beyond us, that he failed to question the logic behind such a ‘men only’ event.
‘You can raise money for charity INCLUDING women and exclusion of women from such events is unacceptable.’
Theresa May resisted calls to sack the Stratford MP, saying he ‘probably regretted his decision to go’.
Businessmen outside the secretive Presidents Club charity dinner, at which more than 100 ‘hostesses’ were brought in, with some reportedly being groped and propositioned. It not suggested those in this image took part in any impropriety
Madison Marriage, the reporter who went undercover, said she was groped ‘several times’
Speaking to the BBC at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday she said: ‘I understand that Nadhim Zahawi left early from that particular event.
‘But when I read the report of that event that took place, frankly, I was appalled.
‘I thought that sort of approach to women, that objectification of women was something that we were leaving behind.’
Environment Secretary and close friend Michael Gove was quick to defend him, tweeting: ‘My friend Nadhim Zahawi is a really decent and honourable guy who’s in public life to help others – part of a great team at DFE’
Labour peer Lord Mendelsohn, the party’s spokesman on business and international trade in the House of Lords, was probed by officials after it emerged that he had been on the guest list.
He was then ordered to step down from the front bench by leader Jeremy Corbyn.