Question
Yesterday, ITV News and The Guardian reported disturbing allegations, only possible thanks to the courage of the women who came forward, of grooming and sexual misconduct made against the celebrity David Walliams. Among the disgusting allegations of sexual advances to girls as young as 15, the years-long investigation also describes how one of the women received a threatening letter from Walliams’s lawyers demanding a written promise that she never speak about her experiences. Will the Minister meet me and my hon. Friend the Member for Chichester (Jess Brown-Fuller) to discuss, cross-party, how we work to end the manipulation of the justice system by rich and powerful men who try to silence their victims?
Answer
If this week has shown us anything, it is that no one is above the law. We have heard a lot about rich, powerful men using their positions to use and hurt women and girls, but these are also stories of strong women, both the victims and those in the media who expose perpetrators in positions of power. I pay tribute to their bravery and courage in coming forward to speak about deeply personal experiences so that justice can be served. We all have a responsibility to root out abuse wherever it is found. The Government are working tirelessly to ensure that offenders are held to account and victims are supported. I will, of course, be happy to meet and to work cross-party.71% vibes
Verdict: GREEN (82/100)
The question asked whether the Minister would meet the MP and the Chichester MP to discuss cross-party work, and the reply directly says yes, that the Minister will be happy to meet and work cross-party. The reply gives no date or timetable for the meeting, so the asker may need to follow up to arrange it. The rest of the reply covers victims and accountability, which is background rather than an answer to this question.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will the Minister meet the MP and the MP for Chichester (Jess Brown-Fuller) to discuss cross-party work to end the use of legal threats and pressure by wealthy and powerful men to silence their victims. | Addressed | Direct | The item asks whether the Minister will meet the MP and the Chichester MP on cross-party work, and statement 7 directly answers yes: "I will, of course, be happy to meet and to work cross-party." The reply does not give a date, but the commitment to meet and work cross-party is concrete and matches what was asked. The surrounding statements about victims and accountability are context rather than answers to the item. |