A Conservative MP who was asked to apologize in the House of Commons for acting “threatening and intimidating” towards parliamentary committee staff said he was under “great pressure” at the time – partly because he’s so tall.
The Independent Expert Panel, which determines appeals and penalties in cases of bullying, said the incident in question occurred in April 2020 when Daniel Kawczynski was unable to join a hearing of the committee due to technical issues.
At the time, Parliament was adapting to the new remote working arrangements during the first lockdown linked to COVID-19.
The panel’s disciplinary report said the MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham had consumed a “significant amount of alcohol” during the day and telephoned the committee’s personnel manager while under the influence, behavior which was “clearly unprofessional”.
According to the jury, Mr. Kawczynski admitted that on several occasions he had expressed his dissatisfaction to the two plaintiffs, referred to as C1 and C2, and to others.
He said his frustration, combined with “long-standing personal issues” may have had a “negative impact on the way he behaved.”
According to the panel, Kawczynski told them he faced a number of “real pressures” in his role as an MP, as well as pressures “partly for personal reasons”.
“Brexit and the severe flooding in his constituency have both created serious difficulties for him as a local MP,” the panel said.
“Respondent is 6’9” and is therefore very visible on the street, in his local stores.
“He found himself attacked on several occasions by members of the public for both of these reasons.
“He pointed out to us how extremely vicious such attacks can be.
“In this context, the advent of the pandemic has added another layer of pressure.
“It was in this context that his frustration with the technical issues of a remote meeting made him so angry.
“Nevertheless, he stressed …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-06-14 10:27:00
