Daniel Sydenham, a senior parliamentary assistant to Conservative MP Paul Holmes, has been suspended following the emergence of a disturbing Halloween party video. In the footage, Sydenham is seen dressed as disgraced TV presenter Jimmy Savile, engaging in inappropriate behaviour with an inflatable doll.
The video, initially reported by Scotland’s The National newspaper, shows Sydenham wearing a brightly coloured shell suit and tinted glasses, closely resembling Savile’s iconic appearance. In the footage, he simulates a sexual act on the inflatable doll while grinning at the camera. A caption on the video reads, “Jim fixed it for me,” accompanied by a tag linking to Sydenham’s social media account.
Paul Holmes, the Conservative MP, responded to the incident, saying, “I have suspended the individual concerned while an investigation takes place. I in no way condone or tolerate the actions of the individual.” Holmes is currently in contact with Parliament’s human resources department regarding the matter.
Prior to joining Holmes’s team in 2022, Daniel Sydenham had worked for the Conservative Party and held various positions in the offices of different Tory MPs. He took on the role of senior parliamentary assistant to Paul Holmes in October of the previous year.
The controversial incident has ignited discussions about appropriate behaviour, particularly given the nature of Jimmy Savile’s crimes. Savile, a late TV presenter, was posthumously revealed as one of Britain’s most prolific sexual predators. Allegations against him during his lifetime led to the Metropolitan Police launching Operation Yewtree after his death in 2011.
