A second Labour Party member has been found dead in an apparent suicide after being caught up in the Westminster sexual misconduct scandal, it was today reported.
The man died ‘suddenly and unexpectedly’ after being suspended from his job at the Labour Party’s London headquarters following porn allegations, it has been claimed.
It comes just weeks after Welsh Labour politician Car Sargeant, 48, took his own life after sex harassment claims.
The fresh revelation has plunged the party into fresh turmoil and sparked calls for an independent inquiry into the handling of the recent spate of harassment and abuse claims.
Labour staff were told about his death on Thursday morning but were reportedly ordered not to speak to anyone about it.
John Mann, Labour MP for Bassetlaw, tore into his party’s efforts to investigate the recent spate of allegations branding them ‘amateurish’.
The Labour leadership have been slammed for their handling of the sex harassment allegations after another party member was found dead in an apparent suicide. Jeremy Corbyn (pictured at a rally earlier this week) has seen his party hit by a string of claims in recent weeks
The man, who is believed to be in his early 30s, worked at Labour headquarters in London – pictured
The death will spark fresh concerns that men are being driven to despair and suicide after having the finger pointed at them.
Mr Mann called for the party to hand over control to an independent body.
He said: ‘This tragic incident just highlights the chaos. There isn’t a coherent means of dealing with any of this in any of the parties.
‘The party needs to bring in external expertise and stop operating on a wing and a prayer.
‘There has not been enough support for people who are coming forward as victims and there has been no support for people where allegations have been made against them.’
A Labour Party spokeswoman said: ‘A member of Labour Party staff has died suddenly and unexpectedly.
‘Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family, friends and colleagues, whose privacy must be respected. We will not be commenting further at this time.’
Shocked staff at Labour’s headquarters were told on Thursday morning that the man, who has not been named but is believed to be in his 30s, had died.
One source told the Sunday Times the man had been caught digitally manipulating the faces of people onto the bodies of porn stars.
Labour sources told the newspaper an inquiry had only just been launched and the man had not been found guilty of nay wrongdoing yet.
Welsh Assembly politician Cal Sargeant was found dead in an apparent suicide earlier this month following claims he had groped women. His family tore into Labour’ handling of the claims saying he has been kept in the dark over the details and treated ‘cruelly’
One said: ‘The person was suspended last week for porn-related allegations. An inquiry was in its early stages.
‘No facts had been found nor was there any finding of guilt.’
The family of Mr Sargeant, a former Welsh Assembly minister, lashed out at Labour over the handling of the allegations against him.
They said he was kept in the dark about the details of the allegations against him and was not afforded ‘common courtesy, decency or natural justice,’ t
His wife Bernie, 48, and children Jack, 23, and Lucy, 25, said they are ‘devastated beyond words’ because the family have lost ‘the glue that bound us together’.
All the major political parties have been rocked by a series of sex harassment an assault claims in recent weeks.
Labour has brought in the top barrister Karon Monaghan to investigate claims by the party activist Bex Bailey that a party official warned her against going public when she was raped.
The Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke has been suspended from the party and referred to the police.