'Buy a sports car or get a tattoo' - what ex-Hartlepool MP Mike Hill was told about 'mid-life crisis'
Former Hartlepool MP Mike Hill was asked “why didn’t he just go out and buy a sports car or get a tattoo, as most people do?” after texts emerged suggesting he was “in love” with a Parliamentary worker.
Constituency office manager Janet Greig was giving evidence at an ongoing tribunal in which Mr Hill denies sexual harassment and bullying allegations.
The London hearing was earlier told how Mr Hill texted the woman, known only as Ms A, saying he “craved” her body and was “in love” with her.
Asked about the messages, Mrs Greig confirmed she discussed them with Mr Hill and said: “I told him they were inappropriate. We discussed (them) at that point, not in-depth, but I did say what were you thinking of.
“I said if you were having a mid-life crisis, why didn’t he just go out and buy a sports car or get a tattoo, as most people do?”
Mrs Greig said she was unable to say if Mr Hill did anything “inappropriate” with the claimant, adding: “What I can say from these tape recordings and these texts is that he had feelings for this person, he acted inappropriately in having this friendship with her, which his wife was not aware of.”
Mr Hill, who was elected Hartlepool’s MP in 2017, resigned from his seat in March, triggering the by-election that saw the Conservatives win control of the town’s Parliamentary constituency earlier this month for the first time in 57 years.
The tribunal, which is due to conclude this week, continues.
