Party didn’t care, says woman who claims MP raped her
A FORMER Westminster aide who has accused a senior Tory MP of rape told how she is devastated by the party’s refusal to suspend him.
The woman described the decision as “insulting and shows that they never cared.”
But it is understood party chiefs decided against taking action while police are still investigating.
The MP, a former minister, was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of rape and bailed until later this month.
He has not been charged with any offence and strenuously denies the woman’s allegations.
His accuser, who was interviewed by detectives on Friday, claims he attacked her in four incidents at addresses in London between July 2019 and January this year. It is understood she claims she was coerced into having sex. After one alleged attack the woman claimed she needed hospital treatment.
The former aide, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is highly critical of chief whip Mark Spencer.
She says she first approached Mr Spencer in April but says he did not encourage her to make a formal complaint to the police. She said: “I felt he did not take me seriously or recognise the severity of what had happened.”
However, it is understood Mr Spencer does not believe she made allegations of sexual assault to him.
He denies failing to urge her to make a formal complaint.
Mr Spencer said yesterday: “It is down to the police to do a thorough investigation, not the Whips Office.”