SUSPEND TORY EX-MINISTER IN RAPE PROBE
Anger as Conservatives say arrested MP will not be stood down
CALLS were last night growing for the Tory MP accused of rape to be suspended from the party.
The decision not to strip the former minister of the whip, despite his arrest over the alleged attacks, sparked fury. Labour’s Jess Phillips said: “While pending a police investigation for a sexual crime, I think it is only right that the whip is withdrawn.”
THE decision not to suspend a Tory MP accused of rape sparked fury last night as pressure grew on party chiefs to strip him of the whip.
Labour’s Jess Phillips branded the move “shocking” and insisted it sends a “terrible message” from Westminster.
The unnamed former minister, who is in his 50s, was arrested on Saturday and questioned before being freed on bail.
He has reportedly been accused of rape, sexual assault and coercive control.
The alleged victim claims she was so traumatised she had to go to hospital.
But a Tory spokesman confirmed the MP’s whip has not been removed while the police investigation goes on.
Shadow Safeguarding Minister Ms Phillips said: “While pending a police investigation for a sexual crime, I think it is only right the whip is withdrawn.
“It is very difficult to comment on the case itself, because it is quite rightly in front of the criminal justice system.
“But what I would say in this matter, is in any organisation, especially one like Members of Parliament who every day work with vulnerable people, young activists, members of staff, in any other organisation, were this police investigation to be going on, somebody would be suspended while the investigation was taking place.”
Lib Dem MP Layla Moran added: “Given the seriousness of these allegations and that a suspension, in a workplace or anywhere else, is actually a neutral act... I would urge [the Conservative whips’ office] to think again on that decision.
“But more broadly I think we need to acknowledge the bravery of those who have come forward to make these allegations, to do that against an MP, it’s very, very difficult.”
The Mirror understands Chief Whip Mark Spencer and Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg were both made aware of the allegations against the former minister by a fellow MP, who had spoken with the alleged victim.
It has been reported the woman also spoke to Mr Spencer directly on April 1, but did not make any allegation of a serious sexual assault. He is understood to have advised her to make a formal complaint to the authorities. She did not speak directly to Mr Rees-Mogg.
A spokeswoman for the Tory whips’ office said yesterday: “These are serious allegations and it is right that they are investigated fully.
“The Whip has not been suspended, this decision will be reviewed once the police investigation has been concluded.
“The Chief Whip takes all allegations of harassment and abuse extremely seriously. As this matter is now in the hands of the police it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
Scotland Yard said the allegations against the MP are said to have taken place “at addresses in Westminster, Lambeth and Hackney between July 2019 and January 2020”. A spokesman added: “A man in his 50s was arrested on Saturday, August 1 on suspicion of rape.”
It comes just days after former Tory MP Charlie Elphicke was convicted at Southwark crown court of sexually assaulting two women, one of whom was a parliamentary worker.
He was suspended by the party when the allegations were first reported to police in November 2017.
But he was later controversially allowed back into the party to vote for Theresa May in a key vote, before being suspended again when charged.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick insisted yesterday he did not know the name of the MP accused of rape.
He said: “I’ve read the accusations in the newspapers this morning but I don’t know more than you do in that respect.
“These are very serious allegations and they should be investigated.”
Asked if he wanted to see the Tory whip removed from the MP, Mr Jenrick replied: “We need to take allegations of this nature very seriously and I’m confident that the party is, and will do.”
BY failing to remove the whip and suspend from the party an MP and former Minister arrested, quizzed then bailed over a rape allegation the Conservatives are – as Labour’s Jess Phillips asserts – “sending a terrible message from Westminster”.
Suspension would not be a judgment on the case but a recognition of the seriousness of an accusation requiring detailed investigation by the police in the interests of justice.
Questions must also be asked into the party’s handling of allegations after the whip was restored so that then-Dover MP Charlie Elphicke, accused of sex assaults, could vote to save Theresa May’s future. It was removed again when he was charged with sexual assault and he was convicted last week.
Westminster must ensure that all complaints are taken seriously, regardless of party politics.