May’s aides ‘sat on’ Tory sleaze claims

British PM Theresa May was under pressure last night to disclose what two of her closest allies knew about allegations made against senior Conservatives, amid claims they “sat on” accusations about MPs’ conduct.

Concerns about the behaviour of Sir Michael Fallon, the former defence secretary, were raised repeatedly in the whips’ office during the time Gavin Barwell, who is now May’s chief of staff, was “number three” there.

Separately, a serious allegation about the Tory MP Charlie Elphicke, then a whip himself, was made to the office in the same period, before Gavin Williamson (the newly-appointed defence secretary) became chief whip.

In taking charge of the whips’ office in July last year, Williamson would have been briefed on any major concerns about Tory MPs, insiders said.

The woman who complained about Charlie Elphicke last year is understood to have asked the Tory Party not to call in the police. However, Julian Smith, the new chief whip, referred Elphicke to police on Friday night and suspended him following a fresh allegation.

Last night, one senior Tory said the former whips would face “real difficulties if it emerged that there were a string of people raising concerns and they were not taking it forward”. Another source said it appeared the whips might have “sat on” allegations.