The Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) – set up after the bullying scandal that rocked Westminster in 2018 – has told alleged victims that its work has “ceased”. Similarly, standards commissioner Catherine Stone, who oversees MPs’ code of conduct, said her office’s work was “suspended to respect the period of national mourning”. The GMB union criticized the move by the ICGS, warning it could “prolong a process which many staff already consider to be excessively difficult and time-consuming”. Jenny Symmons, chair of her MPs’ staff department, said: “We have expressed our disappointment to the director of the ICGS that he has stopped his investigations. “MPs’ staff will continue to work during the bereavement period and serve constituents, so we believe that cases of bullying, harassment or sexual harassment should proceed through the ICGS in the same way.” The Queen’s state funeral will not take place until next Monday, meaning a delay of at least a week until the period of national mourning ends. Parliament is not expected to resume sitting until Wednesday next week and it may take longer for business to return to normal. Jo Willows, the director of the ICGS, did not give a reason for the decision to stop the investigations, telling the alleged victims: “I will let you know when the investigations resume.” She directed anyone who needed support urgently to a helpline and to her office’s case management and integration officer. The ICGS is investigating former deputy leader Chris Pincher’s alleged fondling of two men, the scandal that forced Boris Johnson to resign. Both the Commission and the Standards Commissioner have ongoing inquiries into David Warburton, the Conservative MP suspended over allegations of sexual harassment and cocaine use. Ms Stone is investigating whether she breached the MPs’ code of conduct through “paid advocacy”, failure to declare an interest and rules on declaring “gifts, benefits and hospitality”. Its website lists three other ongoing investigations into Tory MPs Andrew Bridgen and Crispin Blunt and Labor MP Ian Byrne. No 10 said he expected government business to return “more to normal” after Monday’s funeral, although royal mourning would continue. Liz Truss is expected to fly to New York for the UN leaders’ meeting as early as Monday night, returning to the UK late Wednesday or early Thursday. That would allow her promised mini-budget to take place on Thursday next week, before parliament breaks up again for Labor and Conservative party conferences.
