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Tory MP arrested on allegations of rape and sexual assault

The arrest comes amid renewed scrutiny of sleaze in Westminster following a string of cases involving sexual misconduct…reports Asian Lite News

A Conservative MP has been arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault.

The man, in his fifties, has been asked to stay away from Parliament during the investigation by Chief Whip Chris Heaton Harris but has not had the whip suspended, meaning he remains a member of the Conservative Party.

The MP, who has not been named but is understood to be a backbencher, has been accused of carrying out sexual offences over a seven-year period.

A spokesperson for the government whips office said: “The Chief Whip has asked that the MP concerned does not attend the Parliamentary Estate while an investigation is ongoing.”

The accusations have been subject to a two-year investigation after first being reported to police in January 2020.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “A man was arrested on suspicion of indecent assault, sexual assault, rape, abuse of position of trust and misconduct in a public office.”

Scotland Yard said the alleged offences took place between 2002 and 2009 in London.

The Conservative Party will not make a decision on whether the suspect will have the whip withdrawn until after the criminal investigation is concluded.

The Prospect union, which represents hundreds of staff working in the Houses of Parliament, said firmer action is needed.

The union’s deputy general secretary, Garry Graham, said: “What will it take for Parliament to finally take its responsibility to its staff and visitors seriously and suspend access to the estate for parliamentarians under investigation for sexual offences? Parliament has the same responsibilities towards its staff as any other workplace.”

Graham added that Imran Ahmad Khan – the former Tory MP for Wakefield who was convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy last month – had attended Westminster whilst investigations were ongoing despite agreeing to stay away.

The arrest comes amid renewed scrutiny of sleaze in Westminster following a string of cases involving sexual misconduct.

Khan quit the Commons this month following his conviction and David Warburton had the Conservative whip withdrawn in April after allegations of sexual harassment and cocaine use emerged.

Tory MP for Tiverton and Honiton Neil Parish stepped down earlier this month after watching porn on his phone in the House of Commons chamber.

Over the past year, about 15 MPs were investigated by Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) watchdog, which examines allegations of bullying and harassment.

Conservative sources declined to identify the individual, citing the need to protect the identity of any complainant.

A spokesperson added: “Until the conclusion of the investigation we will not be commenting further.”

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Tory MP to meet police over ‘blackmail’ claim

Senior Tory backbencher William Wragg will be speaking to a Met Police detective in the House of Commons early next week, reports Asian Lite News

A senior Conservative backbencher who accused Prime Minister’s Office of trying to “blackmail” MPs seeking to oust Boris Johnson is to meet police to discuss his allegations, according to reports.

William Wragg said he will be speaking to a Met Police detective in the House of Commons early next week, after requesting a meeting with the force, the BBC reported.

The lawmaker, who wants the Prime Minister Boris Johnson to quit, said he wanted to leave any probe to “experts” rather than No 10.

He told the Daily Telegraph he would outline “several” examples of bullying and intimidation when he speaks to police.

“I stand by what I have said. No amount of gas-lighting will change that,” he said. “The offer of No 10 to investigate is kind but I shall leave it to the experts.”

Meanwhile, Downing Street said it had not seen any proof of the behaviour he alleges.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Picture by Andrew Parsons / No 10 Downing Street

A No 10 spokesman said on Friday they were not investigating the allegations but would look “carefully” at any evidence presented to them, the BBC reported.

It comes as Tory whips and No 10 try to shore up support for the prime minster ahead of senior civil servant Sue Gray’s report into a series of Downing Street lockdown parties which is expected next week.

Johnson has been facing down an attempt from some Conservative MPs to oust him since he admitted attending a drinks event at No 10 during the first lockdown, although he says he believed it was a work event.

Earlier, Labour Party leader Keir Starmer had accused Johnson of breaking Covid laws with parties held in Downing Street during lockdown. He said the UK prime minister had “lied” about “industrial scale partying” in No 10.

However, Starmer told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme he did not need to wait for the report to conclude that Johnson broke the rules.

“The facts speak for themselves, and the country has made up its mind,” he said, adding it was “blindingly obvious what’s happened”.

“I think he broke the law, I think he’s as good as admitted that he broke the law,” he added, the report said.

Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer speaks at the House of Commons. (UK Parliament_Jessica Taylor)

Pressure on Johnson has been growing since he admitted he attended a gathering in the Downing Street garden on 20 May 2020, during the first Covid lockdown.

As many as 100 people were invited to “socially distanced drinks in the No 10 garden” in an email on behalf of the prime minister’s principal private secretary, Martin Reynolds, the report said.

On Wednesday, Johnson told MPs he had “believed implicitly” it was a work event, but admitted: “With hindsight, I should have sent everyone back inside”.

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