Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is prepared to force the entertainment industry to improve safeguarding practices unless rapid change is introduced, BBC Newsnight reported.
Following a three-year collaborative investigation by ITV News and the Guardian claiming that several women had accused entertainer David Walliams of sexual misconduct and abuse of power, the government has adopted this stringent position. Walliams denies all the allegations against him, which were published after he lost a legal bid to stop the claims from becoming public.
BBC Newsnight reported that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy will inform a gathering of sector heads next week that she is ready to mandate membership in the industry organization to safeguard whistleblowers if their reaction to recent claims proves inadequate. Participation in the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) remains entirely voluntary at present.
Earlier this week, Nandy mentioned that she was calling together executives from the publishing, film, broadcasting, and entertainment sectors to “draw a line” in the sand. The announcement followed the publication of the allegations against Walliams, alongside the sentencing of entertainer Russell Brand on charges of rape and sexual assault.
BBC Newsnight understands that the culture secretary will deliver two distinct messages at next week’s round table meeting. First, she will tell industry leaders that they need to meet the moment, take responsibility, and tackle issues of safeguarding independently. Second, she will add that if their response falls short, the government might intervene by forcing participation in the CIISA.
Multiple government ministers gave statements calling for further restrictions on the use of non-disclosure agreements. Women and Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson told Sky News that there was “scope to go further” on legislation restricting the use of such agreements to ensure the legal system was not “abused in order to silence women.”
“We cannot have a system where rich and powerful individuals, rich and powerful men, are able to silence women and stop things coming to light,” Phillipson told Sky News.
