Labour shadow equalities minister accused of using homophobic language towards former aide faces calls to resign

Carolyn Harris 'unreservedly and unequivocally' apologises after dismissing former office manager's allegations

Carolyn Harris said she hoped her 'actions to support the LGBT community in recent years as an MP and in the future will help heal any hurt' (PA)

A Labour shadow equalities minister has faced calls to quit her frontbench role over claims she used homophobic language towards a former member of staff.

Carolyn Harris, the shadow minister for women and equalities, was accused of using the word “dyke” in relation to her former office manager Jenny Lee Clarke’s sexuality.

The Swansea East MP was criticised after telling a court the remark, which she said she did not remember making, could have been “banter”.

The allegations emerged in Cardiff Crown Court after Ms Clark was prosecuted for forgery and fraud having been accused of faking a form increasing her pay from £37,000 to £39,000 and decreasing her weekly hours from 40 to 37.5.

The former aide was said to have forged Ms Harris’s signature and signed into her email account to confirm the changes. She insisted she had done so at the MP’s request, and was found not guilty on both charges.

During the trial, Ms Clarke alleged that Ms Harris had bullied her when they both worked for Ms Harris’s predecessor as MP, Sian James.

She said the now MP, who is deputy leader of Welsh Labour, had pulled her hair so hard that clumps fell out, “outed” her to colleagues and made a comment about her “dyke boots”.

Ms Harris denied having pulled Ms Clarke’s hair and said she did not remember using homophobic language towards her colleague.

But asked if the remark could have been “office banter”, she told the court: “I don’t remember saying that but if I did it would have been banter. It’s a term for lesbian. Jenny Clarke is. I’m certainly not homophobic. I’m an ally of the LGBT community and I have always been.”

Ms Harris, who won plaudits after successfully campaigning for funeral costs for bereaved parents to be abolished, was widely criticised for the comment and issued an apology amid calls for her to quit the Labour frontbench.

In a statement, she said: “I honestly do not remember making such a comment and hearing it alleged in court struck me to the core.

“In looking to answer – honestly – I said that in the context of our time working together that ‘if I did it would have been banter’.”

She added: “I was trying to express that I would not want anyone to feel as if I were targeting them because of their sexuality, something I would never do.

“But I failed, with clumsy language that only served to make it appear as if I was trying to minimise the issue.

“It is a word that many LGBT people have heard used to justify homophobic abuse for too long. And I apologise – unreservedly and unequivocally – for my use of it.”

Ms Harris said she tried to be a “good ally” and campaign for LGBT rights, but added: “If I have fallen short, in my understanding or in my words, I can only hope that my actions to support the LGBT community in recent years as an MP and in the future will help heal any hurt.”

However, other Labour figures said she should resign as shadow equalities minister.

Jon Lansman, the founder of the influential pro-Corbyn Momentum campaign group, who also sits on Labour’s ruling executive, told the BBC: “I don’t believe that Carolyn Harris can continue as a frontbench spokesperson on equalities when she has been accused in open court with supportive evidence of her former MP and then employer of homophobic abuse.

“I think she needs to be removed from her current role as equalities spokesperson.

“There must be in my view an immediate investigation of the alleged assault by the Labour Party.”

Welsh environment minister Hannah Blythyn said she was “disappointed and saddened” by the allegations.

She wrote on Twitter: “It’s never banter – it’s homophobic language. It’s not appropriate. It’s not OK.”

Her post was shared by several other Labour Welsh Assembly members.

However, Carwyn Jones, the leader of Welsh Labour, backed Ms Harris.

His spokesperson said: “Language matters – and language that offends, upsets or marginalises has no place in Welsh Labour.

“Carwyn spoke to Carolyn today, and said her unreserved apology was absolutely the right thing to do.”