Tories alleged to have covered up senior MP inquiry

THE Conservative Party has been accused of covering up the findings of a disciplinary investigation, which included allegations that a former defence minister grabbed a member of the party by the throat.

Gavin Barwell, the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, said the party has decided not to publish the outcome of an investigation into claims against multiple Tory Party members in Wales.

They include a formal complaint against Guto Bebb, the Tory MP for Aberconwy, in October 2017.

It states: “During a conversation with Guto Bebb … he held me by the throat, squeezing it, at which point I went limp.” A second complainant told the Buzzfeed News site that, in a separate incident, they were pushed down stairs by Mr Bebb.

Mr Bebb said: “These allegations … are false, malicious and defamatory.”

Four complainants, including former cabinet minister David Jones, have become so frustrated with the party’s handling of the investigation that they have decided to go public and spoke to Buzzfeed News.