The Labour party's hotline for making sexual harassment complaints is now being staffed by allies of Jeremy Corbyn, including an official criticised for his handling of anti-Semitism complaints, BuzzFeed News has learned.
Labour's website has a dedicated sexual harassment complaints "portal", which it says is "operated by experienced members of the party’s HQ complaints team".
But sources have told BuzzFeed News that, following the departure of Sophie Goodyear, Labour's previous head of complaints, the hotline is being run by staff who previously worked for Corbyn and his allies.
Among them is Thomas Gardiner, who was appointed Labour's director of governance and legal last year after working as an adviser to party chairman Ian Lavery.
He was named earlier this month when it was revealed that he had opposed recommendations from party staff to suspend a Labour member reported for anti-Semitism. Labour described that criticism as "malicious" and a "deeply unfair attack on staff working in good faith".
But some party officials expressed dismay that such a close Corbyn ally had been given a role in fielding sexual harassment complaints.
"He's walking around with the mobile phone in his pocket," one source told BuzzFeed News. A Labour spokesperson said "this claim was just not true".
Jeremy Corbyn's political secretary Katy Clark — who has been seconded from the leaders' office since September 2017 to work on "party matters" — has also been one of a number of staff members tasked with answering any complaints that come in to the phone.
One furious female Labour member told BuzzFeed News: “Honestly, they promised us an independent expert but what we get is random political appointees? Imagine the courage it takes to make that first phone call — FFS.”
Labour MP Jess Phillips, who has been vocal in calling on the party to overhaul its complaints system, said "it really is totally" inappropriate for the hotline to be staffed in this way.
"They're failing to understand once again that political allegiances within the party are part of the issue, and the idea that people from the leader's team are being put onto that just shows a bad misunderstanding."
"You can't help if people leave or are off sick," she added, "but the system needs to be taken seriously enough that there is cover always by trained women — that seems like a low bar."
BuzzFeed News understands that Labour, acting on requests from members and campaigners, also set up an independent helpline, which provides advice and support to those raising grievances. However, formal complaints must still be made through official party channels, such as the portal which offers two methods — the phone line and an email address.
One source suggested that the hotline was not treated as a priority as "it hardly ever rings".
"If it hardly ever rings there's a problem with the system, women are still coming to me," Phillips said. "Just give [the phone] to me."
The Labour party's failure to deal adequately with sexual harassment complaints was exposed in late 2017 when dozens of women who said they were Labour members reported being raped, groped, or subjected to inappropriate sexual comments. Some, including activist Bex Bailey, said they had been urged not to report what had happened.
Several Labour MPs were suspended over sexual harassment allegations. Corbyn ally Kelvin Hopkins remains suspended over a complaint brought against him in November 2017, and Ivan Lewis resigned the Labour whip a year after he was suspended, before any case against him had a chance to be heard. A third MP, John Woodcock, also resigned the whip before a complaint against him was fully investigated. All three deny the allegations.
Since the flaws in Labour's complaints process were exposed, women's groups in the party have been campaigning for a fully independent complaints process to deal with allegations of sexual harassment and assault. The latest revelation is further evidence that this is needed, they said.
A Labour Women's Network spokeswoman told BuzzFeed News: “Labour Women’s Network has repeatedly called for a fully independent sexual harassment complaints process, from first contact to final outcome. The need for a system which women can have confidence in has never been greater.”
A LabourToo spokesperson added: "LabourToo welcomed the party's pledge to use independent investigators but we think the party needs to give more thought to how the initial contact with a complainant is handled — as a bare minimum this needs to be done by someone who has received sexual harassment training and under proper supervision by the independent investigators.
"We will continue to call for a fully independent system for sexual harassment complaints so that victims have faith in reporting no matter who picks up the call."
Earlier this month, it announced that the party had adopted a new sexual harassment policy in which independent investigators will be appointed to look into complaints, gather evidence, and give advice on how the investigation should proceed.
A Labour spokesperson said: “We don’t comment on staffing matters. We have partnered with a charity to provide specialist, independent advice and support to anyone affected by sexual harassment within the party, including through a helpline which is independent of the party.
“We are proud to be the first political party to do so and to involve independent investigators in our sexual harassment procedures."