David Meller, a non-executive director at the Department for Education, is under growing pressure to resign from his role after allegations of sexual harassment by guests at a men-only charity dinner he organised surfaced in the press. A , published last night, revealed allegations of “groping, sexual harassment and propositioning” of women hired as “hostesses” for the Presidents Club charity dinner, which took place at London’s Dorchester Hotel last Thursday. Meller, a non-executive board member at the DfE and founder of the Meller Educational Trust, was made a CBE in the new year’s honours list and co-chairs the charitable trust that runs the event. A number of backbench MPs are now demanding he resigns from the DfE board, and Labour MP Jess Phillips has been granted an urgent question in Parliament this afternoon, which means ministers will have to address the issue in person. I鈥檓 going to bed now but if this dude isn鈥檛 gone by the time I awake, I鈥檒l have something else to focus on before lunch! — Jess Phillips (@jessphillips) Fellow Labour MP Diana Johnson said Meller should also resign from his role as chair of the National Apprenticeship Ambassador Network. Assuming that David Meller will be resigning from his role as Director at the Department of Education this morning alongside his role as Ambassador for Apprentiships after the expose of men only 鈥渃harity鈥� event which he organises. — Diana Johnson DBE MP 馃嚞馃嚙馃嚭馃嚘馃寛 (@DianaJohnsonMP) The event has also been criticised by several Conservative MPs, including culture minister Margot James, and former skills minister Nick Boles. I hear you have written to the Charities Commission about the slimeball鈥檚 鈥渃harity event鈥� last night week done, please add my name — Margot James (@margot_james_) https://twitter.com/NickBoles/status/956084528535298048 According to the FT, which sent two reporters to work undercover as hostesses, the 130 women hired to work at the event were “told to wear skimpy black outfits with matching underwear and high heels”. Hostesses “reported men repeatedly putting hands up their skirts, and one “said an attendee had exposed his penis to her during the evening”. Many of the hostesses met by FT journalists were students, “hoping to launch careers as lawyers or marketing executives”, the newspaper reported. A spokesperson for the Presidents Club told the FT the organisers were “appalled by the allegations of bad behaviour at the event”, adding that “such behaviour is totally unacceptable”. A DfE said that both Meller and the new children’s minister Nadhim Zahawi had “attended in a personal capacity”, and said the department would not comment further because “it was not official departmental business”.