UK Labour Party suspends lawmaker over misconduct claim

LONDON – Britain’s Labour Party says it has suspended a lawmaker over an allegation of sexual misconduct.

The opposition party said Thursday that Ivan Lewis is suspended pending an investigation. It says “the Labour Party takes all allegations of sexual harassment extremely seriously.”

Earlier this month BuzzFeed News reported a woman’s allegation that Lewis had touched her leg and invited her to his house in 2010, when she was 19.

Lewis later said he had “never made non-consensual sexual comments or sexual advances to women.” But he apologized if his behaviour had been “unwelcome or inappropriate.”

Several British lawmakers have resigned or been suspended from posts over claims of sexual harassment or abuse. Prime Minister Theresa May has called for an end to “abuses of power” in politics.