LONDON (dpa-AFX) - David Meller, a businessman who helped organize a men-only fundraising charity event, has quit his post as a non-executive director at the Department for Education after allegations of groping and sexual harassment of hostesses at the event.
Financial Times published an expose that alleged hostesses at the 2018 event were 'groped, sexually harassed and propositioned' at the last week event which was attended by 360 male guests from British business, politics, finance and the entertainment industry.
Several senior female politicians condemned the behavior by attendees of the Presidents Club charity dinner held at London's exclusive Dorchester hotel and hosted by comedian David Walliams.
According to undercover journalists from the Financial Times, the 130 women employed as hostesses were asked to wear skimpy black outfits with matching underwear and high heels. Hostesses reported men repeatedly putting hands up their skirts, while one even claims that an attendee exposed his penis to as well.
Meanwhile, charities have refused donations from the Presidents Club Charity Dinner event.
David Walliams tweeted that he attended the event 'in a strictly professional capacity and not as a guest.'
'I left immediately after I had finished my presenting on stage at 11.30pm. I did not witness any of the kind of behavior that allegedly occurred and am absolutely appalled by the report,' he tweeted.
The Presidents Club, which for 33 years has held the annual charity dinner in London, folded less than 24 hours after FT report.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX