Charlotte Nichols, the MP for Warrington North, said she had been warned by colleagues never to accept a drink from or be alone with them. The list, which is not written, includes people known for “bullying or sexual misconduct”. He said: “We need to know these MPs from a range of political parties for the sake of our friends who can visit parliament, for the sake of our staff and of course for our own safety and professional reputation.” In order to stay safe, he admitted that he would avoid them “as much as possible”, even if it meant avoiding trying to work with them. Nichols said the list is “not 100%,” as someone most people would consider “good and safe” left her with a painful ordeal. “Everyone will know a list of people to avoid in parliament. When I joined, they sat me down and told me about people I should never accept a drink from, never be alone with, and avoid as much as possible to stay safe.” Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Nichols, who was elected in 2019, said she would have the “perfect job” if it weren’t for online abuse and “the culture of toxicity” within Westminster itself. He added: “We all know [who they are] and nothing is done and they just keep walking and doing their jobs – and there’s this kind of culture of impunity.” Nicholls did not identify any of those politicians, but said there were about 40 on the list, two of whom had once been cabinet ministers. “I think I was quite confused by how long the list was,” she said, adding that new names appeared “all the time”. A senior female Tory MP who did not want to be named said she had been warned about which male journalists to avoid in parliament and wished women didn’t “have to share this kind of information – but that’s what we do”.
