Investigation Launched After Birmingham Labour Councillor Accuses Fellow Councillor Of Sexual Assault
Birmingham City Council has formally received a complaint from one of its Labour Councillors alleging sexual assault by another councillor.
The city's Standards Committee will now investigate the complaint, submitted by Labour Councillor David Barker, who represents Brandwood and Kings Heath). Waiving his right to anonymity, Barker wrote a first person article, in which he detailed his allegations.
Councillor Barker has now confirmed that he has officially complained through the council's Internal Complaints Process and was awaiting confirmation about the next steps. In the article he wrote, he claimed a fellow councillor groped him sexually, without consent, on two separate occasions.
Councillor Barker said the first assault occurred in the Council House, the council's headquarters in Victoria Square, when he was groped from behind while in a room with other councillors and council staff.
This, he claims, was followed by a second incident on another occasion at a public event nearby.
He also claims that he saw another councillor similarly groped by the same person and alleged that another councillor had been subjected to a further sexual assault by a separate colleague.
It is understood that Councillor Barker has so far not provided any evidence or witnesses to corroborate his allegations.
He said he decided to make the sexual assault allegations public because "I know myself, my friend, and at least one other have been assaulted or harassed by other councillors, these councillors, who I don't intend to unmask now, are in multiple political parties, with men and women as both perpetrator and victim, and have occurred in the 16 months I have been a councillor."
Councillor John Cotton, the Labour leader, confirmed that he was supporting Councillor Barker, telling Birmingham Live "I have been supporting Councillor Barker since he first raised these concerns with me in confidence, and will continue to do so."
Councillor Barker confirmed he submitted a formal complaint of sexual assault on Thursday. He added that he has yet to decide whether to make a formal police report about the incidents.
The council also has an active ongoing investigation into claims made by Labour Councillor Shabina Bano which implicated five city councillors in allegations of bullying and misogyny.
In her written complaint, she told the Labour Party and Birmingham City Council of a year-long alleged campaign of intimidation and coercion and said she was targeted for allegedly refusing to comply with demands made of her as a new councillor by what she called "a powerful cabal" of Asian male Labour Party members in the city.
She also alleges being on the receiving end of misogyny and sexism.
In another separate case, the city council's standards committee is investigating concerns about the declared interests submitted by Labour councillor Councillor Des Hughes, a support worker. He has been suspended by the Labour Party, pending further investigation, but remains a councillor, representing Kingstanding.
Last month, Labour run Birmingham City Council, the largest local authority in Europe, officially declared bankruptcy, with the finger of blame being pointed squarely at mismanagement by its councillors.
The council has previously issued a Section 114 notice that forbids all spending except from on necessities.
Birmingham declared an unofficial spending restriction in June after disclosing a £750 million debt to resolve equal pay claims.
Conservatives have criticised Labour for their inaction on the equal pay bill, which is the equivalent of the whole annual service budget of the council. The council has stated that they will have to re-prioritise what they spend tax-payers money on as a result of the measure – however, the Labour cabinet appear to be trying to divert blame with a bizarre reason for their own incompetence.
In their statement, Labour councillors John Cotton and Sharon Thompson, leader and deputy leader respectively, said the authority was facing financial pressures due to issues with the implementation of its Oracle IT system.
The flagship system, intended to streamline council payments and HR systems, was set to cost £19m, but after three years of delays it was revealed in May it could cost up to a whopping £100m.
Opposition leader, Robert Alden, said the council had "failed to show the proper speed and urgency needed to tackle equal pay".
"Labour's failure in Birmingham has become clear for all to see, what Labour pledged was a Golden decade ahead to voters in 2022 turns out to be based on budgets in 20/21 and 21/22 that did not balance and were unfunded."
"Combined with Birmingham Labour's refusal to deal with equal pay over the last decade this has created this mess where residents will now lose valuable services and investment." he added.