An MP broke down in tears in the House of Commons as she spoke of the alleged abuse she has faced from her ex-husband.
Independent MP Apsana Begum (Poplar and Limehouse) claimed her former partner had led a âcampaignâ of harassment against her and called for employers and political parties to do more to ensure survivors are not exposed to further harassment.
Ms Begum, who lost the Labour whip in July last year, became visibly emotional as she spoke, with Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow, comforting her.
The Government is bringing forward an Elections Bill which will look at the suitability of candidates and their behaviour towards others running, Commons Leader Lucy Powell said.
Speaking at business questions on Thursday, Ms Begum said: âIt is now⌠just over a year since my ex-husband stood against me at the general election, after he was expelled from the Labour Party last year for his treatment of me in a campaign of ongoing constant harassment and abuse, his stated aim of exposing âwho I really wasâ and âgetting even with meâ.
âI continue to endure this on an ongoing basis, alongside the relentless attempts to unjustly remove me as an MP by a clique of his associates.â
She said the impact had been âdevastatingâ and the institutional gaslighting has been âincredibly chillingâ.
She added: âWill the Leader of the House grant a debate on domestic abuse and public life to be able to explore the duty of care to be placed on employers and political parties to ensure that survivors of domestic abuse are not exposed to further harassment in their roles, including those of us undertaking public service.â
Commons Leader Ms Powell thanked Ms Begum for her âfor her bravery and her powerful testimonyâ.
She said: âI know many of us continue to be appalled by the experiences that she has had over a number of years now in relation to the campaign brought by her abusive ex-husband and what he has tried to do in undermining her capacity to be an effective Member of Parliament, which she continues to be.
âI hear her calls today for the steps that need to be taken to ensure that this canât happen again, and it canât happen again to her, particularly.
âWe will have an Elections Bill coming to this House soon, and that will be looking at issues around the suitability of candidates and the behaviour of other candidates towards other candidates, and Iâm sure thereâll be ample opportunity for us all to support her in raising some of these issues in relation to that Bill.â
Ms Begum left the chamber shortly after making her statement.
She was previously a member of the Labour Party but had the whip suspended in July 2024 after voting for an amendment to scrap the two-child benefit cap.
Ms Begumâs ex-husband, Ehtasham Haque, told the BBC in 2022 that her allegations of domestic abuse were âfalseâ.
