Rob Roberts: Second UK minister calls on MP to resign

A second senior UK minister has urged Delyn MP Rob Roberts to resign his seat and trigger a by-election.

The call, by Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick, follows the MP's six week suspension for sexual misconduct.

Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg as well as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer have also said Mr Roberts should quit.

Mr Jenrick said he should resign "so that the by-election can be called and somebody better able to represent that part of the country can be elected".

Mr Roberts has been asked to comment.

Speaking to BBC Wales during a visit to Treorchy, he emphasised: "Rob Roberts is no longer a member of the Conservative Party, the whip has been withdrawn as a result of his actions."

Conservative headquarters last told BBC Wales Mr Roberts' membership was "under review".

Without the Tory whip, as things stand Mr Roberts will be free to return to the House of Commons as an independent MP at the end of his suspension.

Mr Jenrick's cabinet colleague, Welsh Secretary Simon Hart, refused to be drawn when he was asked if he thought Mr Roberts should go.

"I don't think there's anything I can say that can help any of the participants," he said.

"I'm not going to add to the confusion or the sort of background noise around the conclusions of an independent body."

A former employee told BBC Wales the MP repeatedly propositioned him, asked him to be "less alluring", made inappropriate remarks referring to the employee's sexuality, and exhibited "jealous behaviour" when he refused Mr Roberts's repeated advances.

His complaint was investigated by an independent expert panel which was set up to handle harassment and bullying complaints against MPs.

The investigation concluded last week and recommended the MP be suspended from Parliament for six weeks, which Parliament approved.

Currently the sanction of a recall petition on whether Mr Roberts should face a by-election only applies to cases assessed by the House of Commons Standards Committee.

Such petitions can trigger by-elections if enough constituents back one.

Complaints of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct are investigated by a separate process, the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS).

This week, a female former parliamentary intern, who Mr Roberts repeatedly propositioned in a series of text messages in April 2020, said she would make a complaint to the ICGS if he remains in Parliament following his suspension.

That could trigger a further investigation if her complaint was upheld.