Jim Devine has denied making inappropriate remarks to a female Tory MP in the House of Commons.
Nadine Dorries, has now confirmed that Mr Devine, the Labour MP for Livingston, is the Member who she had initially accused anonymously of harassing her.
Ms Dorries, a prolific blogger, used Twitter to claim that she had been subjected to harassment. She wrote: “A Scottish Labour MP walked up to me in the cloakroom and said, ‘You were in my dreams all night. Would you like to know what you were doing?’ I refused. He walked out of the room with me and insisted from two paces behind in telling me, disgusting me.”
The blogger Guido Fawkes originaly claimed that Mr Devine was responsible for the comments. Ms Dorries later confirmed the Labour MP’s identity. She said: “It was Jim Devine, he’d had too many to drink.”
But Ms Dorries went on to blame Labour party “dirty tricks” for leaking Mr Devine’s name, she added: “I’m not someone who would want to spoil a person’s career, so I mentioned it only to a close few, including a female Labour MP.”
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Mr Devine has denied the claims.
It is understood that the alleged incident to which Ms Dorries was referring took place two years ago.
The claims against Mr Devine by the Tory MP are the latest in a series of blows for the Livingston MP.
His expenses claims are currently being investigated by the police after he submitted an invoice for £2,157 for rewiring work at his London flat from a firm that apparently did not exist. Mr Devine was also criticised for claiming £2,326 for joinery and shelving work in the cellar of a local pub, which he said he was renting for storage purposes.
It is understood that detectives from the Metropolitan police have made several trips to Mr Devine’s constituency to interview witnesses.
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After the row over his expenses Mr Devine was forced to appear before Labour’s star chamber set up to investigate MPs accused of expenses abuses. It ruled that Mr Devine should be banned from standing as a candidate at the next general election, although he remains an MP until then.
Mr Devine is also the subject of two outstanding employment tribunals brought by former members of his staff. Another former employee has begun a defamation action against him.
A spokesman for the Labour party said: “Jim Devine will not be a Labour candidate at the next election.”