Labour suspends politician after sexual harassment, transphobia and repeated use of the N-word
Andrew Stone, Lord Stone of Blackheath
The Labour Party has suspended a peer who was accused of sexual harassment, transphobia and using the N-word.
Former Marks and Spencer boss Andrew Stone, Baron Stone of Blackheath, was suspended from the party grouping in the House of Lords after a report from parliament’s independent commissioner for standards.
Among the claims against Stone is that he had made derogatory comments to staffers at a stall advertising Stonewall‘s No Bystanders anti-bullying pledge.
The report explains: “Having signed the pledge himself earlier… Lord Stone later came back with a guest pushing his way past others and saying loudly, ‘He wants to sign, where does he sign… He wants the operation, is this where he signs up for the trans operation, he wants to be trans.'”
The staffers complained about the “inappropriate and offensive” comments.
Labour peer defended transphobic comments by repeatedly using the N-word.
Responding to the claims, Stone suggested those offended by his comments are “not as enlightened as I am about the equality of gay, lesbian, trans or whatever else and therefore they see anything as some challenge to it because I think they perhaps have some problem themselves”.
He then volunteered to the standards commissioner: “I wouldn’t call somebody a ‘n***er’ in, like, in an aggressive way, but let us say I was at some meeting, which I often am, particularly in Israel with black people or whatever, I would say, ‘We are all n***ers, I am’ — what do you call it — ‘an honorary n***er’, yes, and they would say, ‘Yes, Andrew is just as n***er as we are’ … but people feel that if you are not trans or if you are not gay, or if you are not lesbian, then you are not part of that group and therefore you can’t speak in an open way.”
Andrew Stone, Lord Stone of Blackheath
Stone continued: “No, I feel I am part of that group. I am heterosexual. There are people who are gay, there are people who are lesbian and I feel there is no difference between all of us.
“We have our own proclivities and we are born with our DNA and therefore I see nothing against them and therefore I am part of their group — yes, I am part of their group.”
The peer is also accused of grabbing a woman’s arm to tell her she looked “beautiful”, stroking the arm of a staff member, and “creepy” comments towards young female staffers.
Peer ordered to undergo ‘behaviour coaching’.
The independent commissioner ordered him to undergo “bespoke training and behaviour change coaching provided by an external supplier”.
A Labour spokesperson said: “The chief whip has informed Lord Stone that he is suspended from the Labour peers group until further notice.
“Further discussions will be had with Andrew once he has completed the training and coaching recommended by the commissioner.”
