'Horrific' - Powerful politician reacts to investigation on Lloyd's sexism and bullying

Lloyd’s of London came under immense pressure yesterday after the powerful chairwoman of the Treasury select committee, Nicky Morgan, called for the institution to clean up sexist behaviour. 

Lloyd’s is reeling following a damning investigation by Bloomberg which revealed women at Lloyd’s of London say that they have been harassed and attacked by male bosses and persuaded to stay silent after complaining.  

Former education secretary Morgan, who has also been tipped to replace May as Prime Minister, told the Daily Mail: ”This appears to be a horrific story. Everything must be done to ensure that this behaviour is stamped out immediately.”

Female staff are labelled ‘totty’ and ranked on ‘shagablitiy’, according to an investigation by Bloomberg Businessweek, the finance trade journal.

Female assistants are called  “box girls” or even “box bitches” by underwriters in an atmosphere of “near-persistent” harassment.

In one case, a female worker was attacked by her boss but persuaded to drop her complaint. 

Bloomberg interviewed 18 with a combined 300 years of experience working at Lloyd’s. 

According to The Times, Jayne-Anne Gadhia, former head of Virgin Money and equality campaigner, said: “This kind of behaviour has no place in our society, our country or our city.”

Lloyd’s boss John Neal said they were ”talking to the Lloyd’s market to ensure that we stamp out these inappropriate behaviours”.