Top BBC journalist ‘offered romantic encounter by minister and his wife’ at get together convention

BBC presenter Laura Kuenssberg has described uncomfortable encounters with authorities ministers, together with an organized assembly at a lodge the place she discovered a politician mendacity on a mattress together with his spouse.

The journalist mentioned the assembly befell throughout a celebration convention. She had anticipated to satisfy the minister and his adviser however as an alternative discovered the couple collectively within the room. Asked whether or not she believed that they had been anticipating a threesome, Kuenssberg mentioned she couldn’t make certain of their intentions.

“Well, maybe they were and maybe they weren’t. As I say, maybe they weren’t and I got it completely wrong. It was very uncomfortable,” she mentioned. Kuenssberg recounts the incident in her first guide, Pay Attention. She didn’t determine the minister within the report. She additionally described a separate encounter with one other married authorities minister whom she met for espresso to debate work.

According to her account, the politician as an alternative invited her to the theatre and urged “a little grope”. Kuenssberg mentioned different politicians had greeted her with kisses on the brow or despatched messages commenting on her garments. She mentioned some interactions led her to cease speaking with these concerned.

Speaking to The Times, she acknowledged that individuals generally behaved inappropriately and raised considerations in regards to the vulnerability of these starting their careers in Westminster. “People do things. And human behaviour is a complicated thing, and sometimes people behave badly,” she mentioned.

“There is still a concern in Westminster that particularly young people starting out are sometimes very vulnerable.” Kuenssberg, 50, served as BBC News political editor from 2015 to 2022 and was the primary lady to carry the position. She started presenting Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg in 2022.