UK Edition
Labour MPs urge Theresa May to strip Harvey Weinstein of CBE
Harvey Weinstein could be stripped of his CBE after Labour MPs vowed to refer him to the honours forfeiture committee as more allegations of sexual misconduct emerged yesterday.
A spokesman for Theresa May said the reports are "deeply concerning" but highlighted the independence of the committee which has the power to remove an honour bestowed by the UK, something the Prime Minister cannot do herself.
They did not comment on calls for her to refer Mr Weinstein's case for consideration but last night a group of Labour shadow ministers vowed to raise their concerns in a bid to have his CBE removed.
Tory MP Maria Miller, who chairs House of Commons’ Women and Equalities committee, also threw her weight behind the calls.
She said: “The Honours committee needs to look into this urgently. It’s an independent scheme.”
It came after more claims were made against him by a number of women yesterday.
Mr Weinstein, who has been fired from his own company and had his BAFTA membership suspended, received his CBE at an investiture ceremony at the residence of the British consul general in New York in 2004.
But a number of senior Labour MPs have demanded this be removed in the wake of the shocking allegations against him.
In an open letter to the Prime Minister Chi Onwurah, the shadow industrial strategy minister, Jack Dromey, Dawn Butler the shadow secretary of state for women and equalities, Kevin Brennan the shadow arts and heritage minister and the head of the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party, Jess Phillips, called for his CBE to be removed.
Ms Onwurah confirmed to The Telegraph last night that she will write to the committee after a spokesman for Mrs May refused to be drawn on whether the Prime Minister would do so herself.
"It would be better for the Prime Minister to make the referral because it has more weight coming from her", she said, adding: "If she is not prepared to do that we are prepared to, we will refer him to the committee in the absence of action on her part".
The letter states: "[Mr Weinstein's] actions are unacceptable and intolerable. They were unacceptable in the 1960s, they are unacceptable now and they may well be criminal under US and UK law.
"These revelations prove that Mr Weinstein has fallen far short of the standards we expect from recipients of a CBE.
"His continued membership runs the risk of bringing the honours system into disrepute and, moreover, sending the deeply troubling signal that our Government does not take women's voices or allegations of sexual harassment seriously.
"We are therefore calling upon your Government to act urgently and strip Mr Weinstein of his honorary CBE."
Pressed on the matter a spokesman for the Prime Minister said: "Reports over recent days are deeply concerning. Any unwanted sexual activity is completely unacceptable and any allegations should be fully investigated.
"Anyone who comes forward to report these kind of allegations should be praised for their courage.
"The independent honours forfeiture committee considers cases where the honours system has been brought into disrepute. Their discussions are confidential, it is right that we let them get on with their work."
Asked if the PM would refer him herself the spokesman added: "I have given the Prime Minister's views, I have nothing to add beyond that."
Sources pointed to long-standing convention under which sitting Prime Ministers do not make referrals because of conflicts of interest.
The independent committee has the power to remove honours bestowed by the UK if the person concerned is imprisoned for at least three months for a criminal offence or if they are "censured or struck off by a professional or regulatory body for something directly relevant to their honour".
The committee states that "other reasons for forfeiture can also be considered" and anyone is free to make a referral if they feel the system has been brought into disrepute.
Fred Goodwin, the former chief executive of RBS, was the last person to have an honour removed when he lost his knighthood in 2012.
Philip Green, the former BHS boss who was embroiled in a scandal about the company's pension scheme, was referred to the committee but was not stripped of his honour.