Suicidal Tory Party needs to get a grip

IS the Tory Party on a suicide mission? The Mail asks because of MPs’ extraordinary reaction to the Twitter storm of allegations about sexual misconduct at Westminster.

First, Commons leader Andrea Leadsom springs aboard the ‘me too’ bandwagon, precipitating the defence secretary’s resignation by dredging up an off-colour remark she claims he made six years ago (he denies it).

Next, the party suspends MP Charlie Elphicke without informing him or telling him why. He, too, denies any wrongdoing.

Then MP Andrew Bridgen alleges in a Sunday newspaper that his colleague Dr Dan Poulter put his hand up MPs’ skirts seven years ago (which he denies). Meanwhile, two Tory women MPs have demanded First Secretary Damian Green’s suspension, while he insists on his innocence. In an ugly twist, the latest claim – that (legal) pornography was found on a computer used by him among others – has been publicly backed by a former police officer said to bear a grudge against Tories.

Capping it all, Home Secretary Amber Rudd yesterday took to the airwaves, supposedly to steady the ship – only to suggest MPs found guilty of sexism could be expelled from Parliament.

Thus, she raised the possibility of changing the rule that, criminal convictions aside, voters alone can sack their MPs.

With eight Tories under investigation for sexism – and no overall majority – she also appeared open to a spate of by-elections that could bring down the Government.

Yes, all sexual misbehaviour is deplorable. A handful of these allegations in particular (not least against Labour) are extremely serious. These are matters for the police.

But as for the rest, the country is left gasping at how, on the brink of Brexit, Tories have let mostly trivial, unproven complaints escalate into a crisis that could hand power to Jeremy Corbyn’s Marxists.

For the sake of all our livelihoods, this paper urges the party to recover its sense of proportion – and get a grip.