Ealing MP in Presidents Club Row

Virendra Sharma calls for David Meller to be stripped of CBE

An Ealing MP is demanding that the businessman David Meller be stripped of his CBE in the wake of the Presidents Club scandal.

The Financial Times carried out an undercover investigation into the annual charity dinner and found that hostesses for the men-only event at The Dorchester Hotel had to sign non disclosure agreements, were told to wear skimpy dresses, encouraged to drink alcohol, groped and asked if they were prostitutes.

Mr Meller is one of the joint chairmen of the Presidents Club Charity Dinner, and in light of the scandal announced he is stepping down as one of the directors of the board of the Department for Education.

David Meller

Southall MP Virendra Sharma, has written to Sir Jeremy Heywood, the Cabinet Secretary and head of the Civil Service to demand that David Meller is stripped of his CBE.

Mr Sharma wrote about modern Britian not being represented by the ideals on show at the Presidents Club.

"I believe that most people in Britain today would find it severely distasteful to think that the organiser of this event could be honoured in such a way. It could certainly be seen to bring the order itself into disrepute. Today the Prime Minister has said that women “are equals, we have our own position, our own abilities, and that should be respected."

''The values on show at the ‘Presidents Club’ represent the worst of Britain, not the best, and a total devaluing of women. Mr Meller’s behaviour has already led to the loss of his position at the Department for Education and with the government’s apprenticeships delivery board. Britain’s prestigious orders of chivalry should hold themselves to the same standards of probity. Modern Britain at its best is tolerant, diverse and inclusive and I believe our honours system should represent that and not outdated events where women are objects and men adhere to code of silence."

Junior Minister at the Department for Education, Nadhim Zahawi MP, was also at the event and is facing severe criticism for his attendance.

29th January 2018