The tsunami of sordid stories about sexual harassment has left most of Westminster – and indeed the country – feeling queasy and uneasy. As a former Labour adviser, my phone has been ringing off the hook over the last few days. Advisers past and present, MPs and journalists are all reflecting on their own experiences and soul searching about a culture which clearly normalised sexual harassment, bullying and abuse of power.
But the key question is: what next? It would be a tragedy if this collective outpouring of indignation and condemnation created a media storm, one high profile resignation and little else. There has got to be a genuine attempt to change our political culture at a deep and structural level. This is not something which is quick, easy or indeed popular within the corridors of power.
