MY HELL AS TORY MP'S SLAVE

Housekeepers at Djanogly's home had wages withheld. The two women win court battles...Pair given bizarre avocado demands

- SIMON MURPHY

A TORY MP's housekeeper today says she was treated like a slave, suffered insults, was reduced to tears and had to take legal action against the politician's wife to get paid.

Hazel Settas was given rigid instructions on answering the phone within four rings, how long to run the tap - and even how to arrange avocados in the fruit bowl.

She says she "worked like a dog" for ex-justice minister Jonathan Djanogly and wife Rebecca.

The live-in housekeeper was on duty from 7am to 7pm - but sometimes worked to 11pm.

But Hazel, 32, claims Mr Djanogly, 57 - MP for Huntingdon, Cambs, from a family worth £300million-looked down on her as "not even a human". And his wife, claims Hazel, allegedly said: "My husband's an MP, you're worthless." Hazel is one of two women who successfully took Mrs Djanogly - under her maiden name of Silk - to court for pay due to them.

The second woman even sought help from the Salvation Army's modern slavery unit.

A judge concluded pay had been withheld in both cases. The women worked at the MP's £7million West London home after answering Gumtree ads for a £20,000-a-year housekeeper.

Hazel, who was employed in 2020, told the Sunday Mirror: "It was slavery... especially when she used to click her fingers, that's slavery right there... I've got a name, use my name.

"I did feel angry, devastated actually. I applied for a role that turned out to be something else.

"I just had to bow down to anything she said.

I couldn't speak up. The easiest way to describe it is how you think a slave would work.

Hazel says she once told Rebecca: "You can't treat people like this. This is worse than a slave, this is worse than prison." She said she also asked the MP for her help, but none was forthcoming.

Hazel was given a folder detailing her tasks.