Ex-staff demand Labour publish Christina Rees bullying report

Labour is facing calls to release its report into bullying allegations against MP Christina Rees, after she was re-admitted to the party.

Following a 15-month probe, Labour gave Ms Rees an official warning and allowed her to return as a Labour MP, leading to one member to quit in protest.

The ex-shadow cabinet minister apologised for her behaviour, but the details of her case remain secret.

Labour declined to say whether it will publish the report.

A Labour member has resigned, saying the party now "supports bullying and exploitation".

The BBC understands the person who resigned from Labour was a former member of Ms Rees' staff and had made a formal allegation of bullying against her to the party.

In a resignation letter, seen by the BBC, the ex-staff member said re-admitting Ms Rees could "dissuade more victims of bullying and inappropriate behaviour from coming forward, if the efforts involved simply result in a slapped wrist".

The BBC has spoken to several members of staff who claim they were bullied by Ms Rees. The sources, who have asked to remain anonymous, all claim Ms Rees frequently made intimidating and insulting comments, imposed unreasonable job expectations and forced staff to work outside normal hours.

The Neath MP had the party whip restored on 2 February, meaning she can sit as a Labour MP, and her party membership reactivated.

Ms Rees said she had "cooperated" with the investigation and accepted its findings.

She will sit as a Labour MP for the rest of this parliament after confirming she will not stand at the next general election.

During the investigation, Ms Rees was prevented from seeking selection to be Labour's candidate for the new constituency of Neath and Swansea East. The current MP for Swansea East, Carolyn Harris, was selected unopposed.

Ms Rees has represented the Neath constituency since 2015 and has been an independent MP since she was suspended in October 2022.

She served as shadow secretary of state for Wales between 2017 and 2020 under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.

After being readmitted, Ms Rees said: "Following the conclusion of the Labour Party's investigation into my conduct, I would like to make clear that I fully accept the outcome of the party's process and offer an unreserved apology.

"I can also confirm that I have reviewed the findings of the investigation and taken a number of steps to ensure that my future conduct is of the highest standard."

Some of Ms Rees' ex-staff members have told the BBC that Labour must now publish the internal report into Ms Rees.

One former staffer said Ms Rees' apology "is an admittance of guilt, but for what?".

"A nuanced reading of her response suggests she admits to bullying - but that may not be obvious to people," they added.

Another has said they would "like to know the reason" Ms Rees has been readmitted as it looks like "she is being protected by the Labour Party".

There has been a backlash among some of Ms Rees' former staff over the decision to re-admit her to the party.

"It is not good enough that Ms Rees has been let back in to the party," one of the MP's former staff members told the BBC.

Another one of Ms Rees' former staff told the BBC she should "not remain in office or in the Labour party".

An ex-staff member said it was "absolutely appalling" that Labour have reinstated Ms Rees. The decision means the Labour party now "stand for bullying".

"What kind of view does that give everybody? If you stand up to bullies all they get is a slap on the wrists," they added.

One staff member Brendan Toomey, who worked as Ms Rees' parliamentary assistant, said the findings should remain confidential "unless there is good reason to release the report".

Mr Tooney, the former Labour leader of Merthyr Tydfil Council, said: "The Labour Party is everything to Christina and I'm very pleased she has been readmitted and has had the whip restored.

"It is however very disappointing that the party has taken so long to determine this matter given the obvious distress this will have caused to everyone involved including Christina."

Both Labour and Ms Rees were approached for a comment on the responses to her readmission to the party. Labour pointed to the previous statements on their readmission, while Ms Rees did not respond.