‘Tatler Tory’ accused of hounding young activist to his death
And he might have sparked 25 other complaints
ONE of the Conservative Party’s rising stars has been accused of bullying a young activist who committed suicide.
Former parliamentary candidate Mark Clarke – who became known as the ‘Tatler Tory’ when the society magazine tipped him for a future cabinet post – was suspended from the party after Elliott Johnson’s body was found on tracks near a railway station.
Mr Clarke has been banned from next month’s party conference, amid allegations that his behaviour triggered dozens of complaints – and accusations that he was behind a ‘vicious smear campaign’ against a young female activist.
Mr Johnson, 21, became the political editor for Thatcherite campaign group Conservative Way Forward in June.
He lodged an official complaint with the party after being ‘verbally accosted’ and ‘pinned to his chair’ in the Strangers’ Bar at the Palace of Westminster on August 12. Only eight days after the incident, he lost his job – but accepted a part-time post as a social media consultant so he could stay with the organisation.
Activists have claimed that Mr Clarke, 41, had ‘taken against’ Mr Johnson following a series of clashes. One had apparently involved an article involving ‘personal data’ on individuals that the ‘principled’ Mr Johnson had refused to write.
Mr Clarke – who was in charge of the party’s battle bus campaign during this year’s general election – is said to have threatened to ‘destroy’ Mr Johnson’s career after he tweeted the result of a local election before it was officially announced.
There are claims that Mr Clarke and other party members also put pressure on Mr Johnson to withdraw his official complaint.
And an inquest heard this week that police are preparing a file for the coroner, with Mr Johnson understood to have left three suicide letters at his home in Tooting – one addressed ‘bullies’.
His father, Ray, who lives in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, has accused the Conservative Party of acting too late. ‘They had enough years ago to put him out to grass and didn’t do anything,’ he said. The 57-year-old told the Daily Mail yesterday: ‘I know there had been other complaints [against Clarke] because some of the people involved have contacted me, talking about harassment and bullying. I understand there have been at least 25 complaints by activists.’
A source close to the Tory investigation claimed Mr Clarke’s behaviour had triggered dozens of complaints, adding: ‘There are
Mistreated? Sarah-Jane Sewell lots of complaints. They date back over a year and a number have been made by women.’
Among those allegedly mistreated is Sarah- Jane Sewell, 21, who stood down as deputy chairman of Conservative Future, the party’s youth wing, last summer. She said her reputation had been ‘besmirched in the most abhorrent fashion’. After she stepped down, Mr Clarke held an event, promoted on Facebook, to ‘celebrate’ her departure.
His former lover, Sarah Gill, has previously made unsavoury accusations about the personal life of the former parliamentary candidate – who was selected to oppose Sadiq Khan in Tooting five years ago – all of which he has denied.
He has also been accused of running a smear campaign against his local hospital using ‘misleading death figures’.
Mr Clarke, who is married with two children, declined to comment last night. But he has said in a previous statement: ‘I strongly refute any suggestion of bullying or harassment.’
Two other activists, Samuel Armstrong and Andre Walker, have also had their accreditation revoked. They couldn’t be contacted last night.
A Conservative spokesman said: ‘We cannot say anything further at this time.’
‘Harassment and bullying’