The media are making much of claims that Clive Lewis ‘groped’ a woman’s bottom at a Novara Media party. This evening, Lewis spoke to the SKWAWKBOX about the allegations – and his tone was incredulous as much as anything.
Not at the fact that Labour is investigating them, which he applauded, but at the way they were being portrayed in the media.
Allegations absolutely have to be treated seriously and investigated properly, so I welcome the fact that the party is investigating them. That’s absolutely as it should be.
But if you look at the detail of what’s being claimed, it doesn’t make sense. The Independent admits that this was the first time I’d met the woman – she’s complained anonymously, so I can’t say whether I met her at all. I hug a lot of people, but I’d never grab anyone’s backside – but they’re saying that this was a complete stranger to me, someone I’d only just met. Not only that, but that it happened in front of a roomful of people.
Think about it for a minute. Apart from it being wrong and not in me to do it, who’d be that stupid as to grope a woman they’d literally just met and didn’t know anything about?
I’m a politician. There are lots of people to witness it. Smartphones with cameras linked to social media. And supposedly I’d just reach down and grab her bottom? In front of her friend, whom I also didn’t know.
It absolutely didn’t happen – and the fact the media are ignoring the obvious problems with the account shows how politically motivated it is.
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