Tory Whip ‘destroyed file’ on sex probe MP

‘Cover-up’ claim as politician refutes allegations

THERESA May’s Government was last night accused of trying to cover up allegations that a Tory MP fondled a female aide’s breasts after they drank champagne.

A Tory Whip is said to have told the MP, Charlie Elphicke, that the Party had destroyed the official record of the complaint.

The woman withdrew her accusations of sexual harassment after she was paid wages she said she was owed, and Mr Elphicke was told at a meeting attended by current Chief Whip Julian Smith and a fellow Whip that the documents had been ‘destroyed’.

It was the second Whip who made the alleged remark.

However, months later, Mr Smith, newly promoted to the Cabinet, suspended Mr Elphicke, 47, and reported him to police following a separate claim of rape against the Dover MP.

But when police interviewed the politician last month, they made no mention of rape. Instead, they asked about the alleged breast fondling and a claim by a third woman that he ‘lunged’ at her.

Mr Elphicke denies the claims and has not been arrested. Friends say he had been ‘badly treated’ by Mr Smith. ‘Julian is trying to protect himself and Charlie’s reputation has been trashed,’ said one.

Senior Tory MP Bob Stewart said: ‘It is absolutely appalling that Charlie has lost the whip for nearly six months. This matter should have been resolved long ago.’

But one of Mr Smith’s allies said: ‘Once there had been a rape allegation, he had to report it to police. It is not true he tried to cover up any complaint. He has acted with complete integrity.’

Mr Smith last night vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

A source close to the Chief Whip said: ‘Julian did not say he would destroy any files and was not in charge of the case. No files were destroyed.’

However, the disclosures are likely to focus attention on how the Tories initially handled the first complaint. The Mail on Sunday can today reveal what police told married father-of-two Mr Elphicke, when they interviewed him last week.

The first allegation came from a former female employee who claimed he had fondled her breasts after they drank champagne in his office one evening in the spring of 2016. She also claimed he touched her leg after he gave her a lift to his constituency.

Mr Elphicke denied fondling the woman’s breasts and said he spent that evening having supper with his mother – and had emails to prove it. He admitted having champagne with her in his office on another day, but again denied groping her.

The second complaint came from a lobbyist who claimed he had ‘lunged’ at her in a Commons lift three years ago after they had drinks.

The MP denied the allegation and said the way the woman stayed in touch with him after the alleged incident, signing off at least one text message with a friendly ‘X’, undermined her claim.

Mrs May was dragged into the controversy after it emerged that Mr Smith told Mr Elphicke the decision to suspend him in November was taken with her full support. At the time, Westminster was engulfed in multiple claims of sexual harassment and bullying by MPs.

Michael Fallon had to resign as Defence Secretary after it emerged that years earlier he had tried to kiss a female journalist and touched the knee of another.

In the subsequent reshuffle, Mr Smith was promoted to Chief Whip. Within 24 hours he suspended the

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MP ‘has alibi’ for night of alleged breast fondling

whip from Mr Elphicke, saying ‘serious allegations’ against him had been given to police. A furious Mr Elphicke denied it.

Mr Elphicke declined to comment last night and Downing Street said: ‘We cannot comment on an ongoing police inquiry.’

A spokesman for Mr Smith said he ‘robustly denied’ referring allegations against Mr Elphicke to police ‘in an effort to support suspension of the whip’ or that he knew of some allegations ‘some time before they were referred to the police’.