Theresa May today vowed to act against MPs found to be sex pests and refused to say she has confidence in a serving minister - after a 'dirty dossier' surfaced about Tory politicians.

A hit list of 36 sitting Conservative MPs branded 'sex pests' including two serving cabinet members has emerged in a secret 'spreadsheet of shame' leaked at Westminster.

One MP is said to be 'handsy with women at parties', another 'perpetually intoxicated and very inappropriate with women', one minister was said to have had 'sexual relations with a researcher' and another 'paid a woman to be quiet'.

A former Tory minister was said to have propositioned his secretary by asking her to 'come and feel the length of my c***'.

Tory aides have put together the dirty dossier which includes the specific details of the accusations inappropriate or even criminal behaviour at work.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman made clear today that she would not hesitate to punish MPs found to have behaved inappropriately.

The spokesman also refused to say that Mrs May had confidence in International Trade minister Mark Garnier, who faces a formal probe into claims he made his secretary Caroline Edmondson buy sex toys for him and called her 'sugar t*ts' in public. He denies sexual harassment and says the allegations are exaggerated.

Meanwhile, a Labour MP has warned that issues with sexual misconduct in Westminster go much wider - and cases could number in the hundreds. And another Labour backbencher disclosed she had been harassed at the European parliament.

Theresa May was in the Commons today to see Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom take questions from MPs

Female staff at Westminster are naming and shaming sex pest MPs on a secret WhatsApp group, it has been revealed

This grab comes from the Conservative party dirty dossier, with names of MPs blacked out

International Trade Minister Mark Garnier (pictured at a trans pride event) is accused of calling his secretary 'sugar t*ts' in front of witnesses

The list includes two serving Cabinet ministers who are accused of inappropriate behaviour towards women and 18 ministers facing allegations of inappropriate sexual behaviour, reports Guido Fawkes.

Another 12 MPs are accused of behaving inappropriately towards female staff, while four are alleged to have behaved inappropriately towards male researchers.

Mrs May was in the Commons this afternoon to see Leader of the House Andrea Leadsom promise action to tighten up protections within 'days not weeks'. She said the probe into Mr Garnier was being conducted 'urgently' by the Cabinet Office.

Commons Speaker John Bercow also cautioned that MPs should not deny the 'need for change'.

In other developments:

Mr Bercow will chair a meeting of the Commons Commission tonight to discuss ways of protecting MPs' staff;

A Cabinet minister is alleged to have placed his hand on the thigh of a female journalist and said 'God, I love those t*ts';

Anonymous reports suggested a second senior minister had an affair with a junior female aide who is also now an MP;

A Liberal Democrat peer is said to have invited female journalists to lunch, telling them to wear knee-high boots and short skirts;

MPs were said to be sharing stories about a Conservative who allegedly takes pictures of young men in compromising positions and uses them to extract sexual favours;

It also emerged that women working at the Scottish parliament have been victim to a 'catalogue' of sexual harassment incidents, according to a high-profile lawyer ;

Mrs May's former communications chief said whips often kept incriminating evidence to push MPs into following the party line in votes.

Rumours are swirling around Parliament that two Cabinet ministers are among politicians accused of being sex pests. Both privately insist no allegations have been put to them.

Two MPs are said to be accused of getting their mistresses pregnant, with one allegedly paying for an abortion.

Two Conservative politicians are accused of using the services of prostitutes.

Separately, former Cabinet minister Stephen Crabb has admitted sending explicit messages to a 19-year-old woman after a job interview in Parliament.

Although only Conservative figures have been the subject of the allegations, it is believed senior Labour politicians – including two former frontbenchers – have also been accused.

Overnight Mrs May wrote to Mr Bercow to demand the establishment of a grievance procedure to deal with Westminster harassment complaints.

She criticised the disciplinary procedure operated by Commons watchdog Ipsa, because it was not compulsory for MPs to sign up. 'It does not have the required teeth as contractually an MP does not have to follow the procedure,' she added.

Theresa May has written to Commons Speaker John Bercow (pictured today) to demand a shake-up of 'toothless' disciplinary procedures. The House introduced a 'Respect' policy several years ago in a bid to enhance protection for its own staff

Caroline Edmondson (pictured in 2013 with her partner, journalist Jon Craig) is said to have been asked to buy sex toys for boss Mark Garnier

Former Cabinet Minister Stephen Crabb admitted sending 'explicit' messages to a 19-year-old woman after a job interview at Westminster

'I do not believe that this situation can be tolerated any longer. It is simply not fair on staff, many of whom are young and in their first job post-education.

'We must establish a House-wide mediation service complemented by a contractually binding grievance procedure available for all MPs irrespective of their party banner.'

But Mr Bercow put the ball firmly back in Mrs May's court, telling the Commons this afternoon:'In the first instance I hope that parties will live up to their responsibilities, demonstrating both an appetite for change and a practical means of delivering that change without delay.

PLAN FOR COMMONS STAFF TO WEAR NAME BADGES DROPPED AMID LEERING FEARS Plans to make all Commons staff wear name badges were watered down after concerns were raised male MPs would be encouraged to leer at women's chests. The proposals floated by the House authorities three years ago received an angry response with warnings that they could fuel 'harassment' and 'inappropriate' behaviour on the estate. MPs employ their own staff, but the Commons overhauled its procedures several years ago in a bid to offer around 2,000 House officials more protection from abuse by politicians. The 'Respect' policy allows for cases against MPs to be taken to the standards committee and ruling House of Commons commission if disciplinary action is deemed to be required. The badge plan was put forward by the Commons authorities in November 2014 in an effort to generate more of a customer service ethos and improve relations between its staff and MPs. It was backed by the Commons governance committee, chaired at the time by Labour MP Jack Straw. But when staff were asked for their views, the idea produced complaints from women and from men worried about how female colleagues would be affected. Details revealed under freedom of information rules highlighted concerns MPs already 'harass' and 'abuse' them, and forcing people to wear name badges would make things worse. One response stated: 'I think badges risk making younger/junior staff – especially women – more vulnerable. 'Harassment and rude/inappropriate comments by MPs to staff are still, regrettably, commonplace.' Another added: 'I am not comfortable with the prospect of people staring at my chest in order to find out who I am.' Advertisement

'Make no mistake, there is a need for change.'

Mr Bercow called on the Commons standards committee to beef up the code of conduct for MPs to include a new rule that 'a member must treat all those who work in parliament with dignity, courtesy and respect', as recommended by the parliamentary commissioner for standards.

Earlier, the PM's official spokesman was asked if Mrs May had 'confidence' in the trade minister, her spokesman said: 'There is an investigation the Prime Minister has asked for which is being conducted by the Cabinet Office.'

The spokesman refused repeatedly to express confidence in Mr Garnier and did not rebut suggestions her confidence was dependant on the investigation outcome.

He said: 'She has been clear any unwanted sexual behaviour is completely unacceptable in any walk of life and she strongly believes those who work in Parliament are treated properly and fairly as would be expected in any modern workplace.

'That is why she has written to the Speaker to ask for his support in what can be done to ensure the reputation of Parliament is not damaged by these allegations of impropriety.'

Asked if the Prime Minister would expect ministers to resign if allegations were proved, the spokesman added: 'The Prime Minister has been clear that this type of behaviour would be inappropriate if proven and appropriate action would be taken.'

Shadow equalities minister Dawn Butler called for Mr Crabb and Mr Garnier to have the Tory whip suspended.

'Can you explain why the investigation into Mark Garnier appears to be confined to whether he broke the ministerial code at a time when he wasn't a minister?' she wrote in a letter to Mrs May.

'Further, can you confirm that both he, and Stephen Crabb, will be investigated by the Conservative party and have the whip suspended while investigations into their conduct take place?'

Labour MP Tulip Siddiq said she feared the number of sexual cases at Westminster could run into the 'hundreds'.

'I’m hearing first hand from people who are saying that they have been either sexually abused, or if you like people have tried it on with them who are MPs,' she told BBC News.

'So it’s not gossip anymore. This is a serious problem.'

She added: 'People I’ve heard it from is in the tens, but that’s people telling me personally.

'But if you investigate this and delve deeper into it, I think it probably will be in the hundreds. And that’s deeply worrying.'

Another Labour MP, Rupa Huq, revealed she had been a victim of 'slithering' hands by an MEP in the 1990s.

'Back in my 20s, so we are talking 1990s, I had a junior role at the European Parliament and I do recall an incident where a male MEP, his wandering hands found their way on to me, which I did not like but did not really do anything about, because there was such a power imbalance,' she told Sky News.

Yesterday a political journalist said a Tory MP made a drunken lunge at her following a Westminster lunch.

Jane Merrick, a columnist with the Times, said she was a young political reporter when she was harassed by the MP - whom she refused to name.

Separately the Mail on Sunday reported that Mr Crabb admitted sending explicit messages to a 19-year-old woman he interviewed for a job in 2013, when he was a minister for Wales. The married MP was quoted by the paper as saying there had been no sexual contact. Mr Crabb resigned last year as work and pensions secretary following reports of a similar incident.

Katie Perrior, Mrs May's former head of communications at No10, said incriminating information was often 'kept away from the prime minister' but deployed by whips to enforce party discipline.

On ITV's Good Morning Britain today, shadow home secretary Diane Abbott stressed that the problems crossed party lines

Labour former minister Caroline Flint said 'sex goes on' in Westminster. Former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale admitted there was 'bad behavior' among MPs

Theresa May, pictured going to church with husband Philip yesterday, is trying to get a grip on the burgeoning scandal

She told BBC Breakfast: 'The information is held by the whips, because they use it to make sure that MPs know that other people within the party know exactly what they've been up to, and that behaviour either is not acceptable, or it will be used against them – you will vote in a certain way or we will tell your wife exactly what you've been up to.'

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Westminster Hour last night, Labour former minister Caroline Flint said 'sex goes on' in Westminster.

SENIOR TORIES BLOCKED BID TO BEEF UP PROTECTION Senior Tories blocked a bid by David Cameron to give researchers more protection from sexual harassment, it was claimed today. The powerful 1922 Committee of stepped in to stop the introduction of a binding code of conduct allowing staff members access to arbitration. Mr Cameron attempted to persuade the Speaker and other party leaders to support the measures following a sex scandal in 2014, according to the Evening Standard. Having failed to secure wider agreement covering the whole Commons, the then-PM tried to get his own MPs to sign up voluntarily. But the 1922 is said to have seen the plan as a whips' plot to impose 'central control' on backbenchers. Advertisement

The MP urged colleagues to 'get a grip on what being an MP is about, put their egos in a box and stop thinking they are the greatest thing since sliced bread and can do or say what they want'.

Former Culture Secretary John Whittingdale admitted there was 'bad behavior' among MPs.

But he suggested it was down to 'the nature of Westminster, where you have people who genuinely have some power, all in a place a long way from their families, often until late at night, surrounded by young people who look up to them'.

'Some people abuse that. It does happen and it's cross-party and it's something we need to tackle. I do think it's a minority — I don't think my colleagues are all constantly abusing people,' Mr Whittingdale added.

Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott stressed that the problems crossed party lines.

'These are 36 Tory MPs, but it's not just a Tory issue, it's an issue for MPs as a whole,' she said.

Labour MP John Mann called on Mrs May to sack Mr Garnier and to remove the whip from Mr Crabb.

'Garnier should be sacked as a minister obviously; that would be sufficient,' he said. 'He (Crabb) should be booted out too: what is Theresa May waiting for?'

Conservative backbencher Andrew Bridgen accused Labour of spreading the allegations against Tory MPs to distract from the furore over their suspended MP Jared O'Mara for making sexist and homophobic comments. He said: 'These rumours have been flying around for years, so why are they coming out now? They're trying to create a distraction.'

WHO'S IN CHARGE OF PROTECTING STAFF? MPs employ their own staff, meaning issue of abuse do not easily fall within the powers of the Commons authorities. The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority supplies a model contract, with established grievance procedures, but MPs are not compelled to use it. The Commons overhauled its procedures several years ago in a bid to offer around 2,000 House officials more protection from abuse by politicians. The 'Respect' policy allows for cases against MPs to be taken to the standards committee and ruling House of Commons commission if disciplinary action is deemed to be required. Advertisement

And the unnamed Tory MP who has called for caution said: 'We've got to be very careful that we don't confuse stupid, inappropriate and sexual behaviour – such as getting a member of staff to buy a sex toy – with what Harvey Weinstein has been accused of.

'He has been accused of rape, sexual assault and requiring sex for career advancement'.

MPs employ their own staff, meaning issue of abuse do not easily fall within the powers of the Commons authorities.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority supplies a model contract, with established grievance procedures, but MPs are not compelled to use it.

The Commons overhauled its procedures several years ago in a bid to offer around 2,000 House officials more protection from abuse by politicians.

The 'Respect' policy allows for cases against MPs to be taken to the standards committee and ruling House of Commons commission if disciplinary action is deemed to be required.

Senior Tories are said to have blocked a 2014 bid by David Cameron to give researchers more protection from sexual harassment.

The powerful 1922 Committee of stepped in to stop the introduction of a binding code of conduct allowing staff members access to arbitration.

Mr Cameron attempted to persuade the Speaker and other party leaders to support the measures following a sex scandal, according to the Evening Standard.

Having failed to secure wider agreement covering the whole Commons, the then-PM tried to get his own MPs to sign up voluntarily.

But the 1922 is said to have seen the plan as a whips' plot to impose 'central control' on backbenchers.