Presidents Club: new gala dinner to replace disgraced charity receives backing from Bank of England Governor

Mark Carney said such a culture would no longer be tolerated in London
Mr Carney said 'let’s do what is necessary to support charities' in the wake of the scandal over the charity dinner
Stefan Rousseau/AFP/Getty Images

Bank of England Governor Mark Carney today backed a new gala dinner to raise millions for charities which lost out from the collapse of the disgraced Presidents Club.

He declared that the “visceral reaction” to reports of sexual harassment and groping of hostesses at the all-male event showed such a culture would no longer be tolerated in London.

According to an undercover report in the Financial Times, young female hostesses at the Dorchester Hotel gala were told to wear skimpy black dresses, black underwear and “sexy” black shoes.

Following this week’s allegations, Great Ormond Street Hospital is handing back hundreds of thousands of pounds received over at least seven years.

Other charities have taken similar action. Now a senior figure at Legal & General Investment Management is organising an event to replace the gifts. Dame Helena Morrissey, head of personal investing, is planning a dinner with a 50-50 gender split, to be hosted by the Lord Mayor at Mansion House.

The event took place at Mayfair's Dorchester Hotel, which has a 'zero-tolerance' policy on harassment
Getty Images

It is already backed by City firms such as M&G, Aviva, Schroders and PwC. Mr Carney told the BBC: “Great Ormond Street Hospital is a very worthy charity.

"So let’s get the money to them, let’s get the money to the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, let’s do what is necessary to support charities — but in the right way, in a way which is inclusive and empowering.”

He said he had “no idea” one auction lot at the Presidents Club dinner was tea with him. An investigation found the tea and bank tour had originally been donated for the Lord Mayor’s Appeal, a charity for disadvantaged children.

Claims have been overblown, says stars’ estate agent

 

Estate agent to the stars Trevor Abrahmsohn today launched a staunch defence of the Presidents Club, claiming allegations of debauched behaviour at its  all-male gala dinner had been overblown.

Mr Abrahmsohn, who has attended its events several times, claimed women working at them as “hostesses” were “a mixture of secretaries, office workers, out-of-work actresses”.

Risking sparking fresh controversy, he added: “They turned up year after year, to get some money and enjoy the evening, where often they would find a job.

“They wouldn’t have returned if there was any hint of debauchery.”

Mr Abrahmsohn, managing director of north London estate agency Glentree International, who has sold more than £1 billion of property over the past 40 years to clients including Ringo Starr and Joan Collins, was not at last week’s dinner at The Dorchester or the “after-party” where the most serious sexual misconduct against hostesses is alleged to have occurred.

He said: “The worst crime I witnessed, over the many occasions I was there, was that the hostesses were ignored by the table guests and were a little bored.”

He said the club  appeared to be being judged on the “flimsiest” of evidence and added: “Whilst I would never condone sexual harassment, we need to put this hysteria into perspective.”

Today it emerged Scotland Yard had previously investigated a claim of sexual assault linked to last year’s dinner.

A Met spokesman said: “We can confirm that on 22 January 2017 police received a third-party allegation of sexual assault of a female at a hotel on Park Lane on 21 January 2017.

"Police contacted the alleged victim who advised that she did not wish to proceed with the allegation. The investigation was discontinued.”

MPs are urging the Met to launch a new inquiry into whether sex offences, including pimping, were committed at last week’s gala, particularly at an after-party where one hostess claimed prostitutes were present.

Attorney General Jeremy Wright said: “From what I’ve heard, it’s quite possible that criminal offences were committed.”

Pressure remained on children and families minister Nadhim Zahawi, who was at the dinner, after a senior Labour peer who was also there quit his post. Jeremy Corbyn asked Lord Mendelsohn to “step back” from his role as business and international trade spokesman.

Mr Zahawi has been reprimanded but has kept his job after saying he left early because he felt “uncomfortable”. A Labour spokesman said Lord Mendelsohn, president of a charity supported by the event, “did not witness any of the appalling incidents described and has condemned such behaviour”.

The Charity Commission and the Dorchester are investigating the claims. Artista agency, which recruited the hostesses, said it was not aware of claims of harassment but complaints would be dealt with promptly.

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