Politics

9 MPs plunged into sleaze scandals as sexual misconduct claims hit Westminster



Westminster has been rocked by a fresh abuse row after a Tory MP was arrested over rape and sexual assault allegations spanning seven years.

The unnamed politician was taken into custody over the allegations, which also include indecent assault, abuse of position of trust, and misconduct in public office.

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “In January 2020, the Met received a report relating to alleged sexual offences having been committed between 2002 and 2009.

“The offences are alleged to have occurred in London. An investigation is ongoing, led by officers from Central Specialist Crime.”

Scotland Yard said the man was “arrested on suspicion of indecent assault, sexual assault, rape, abuse of position of trust and misconduct in public office.”

He has now been bailed to a date in mid-June, pending further inquiries.







Parliament is at the centre of fresh allegations
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The whips office has ordered the man to stay away from Parliament while the probe continues. The Tories will decide whether to suspend him from the party when the investigation concludes.

It comes as a string of MPs have been accused of inappropriate conduct in recent years, sparking the 2017 “Pestminster” scandal where Parliament was hit by a wave of allegations.

Some 56 MPs have reportedly been referred to Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) over about 70 separate complaints.

Imran Ahmad Khan

Wakefield MP Imran Ahmad Khan was found guilty in April of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy in 2008.

Southwark Crown Court heard how he forced the teenager to drink gin, dragged him upstairs and asked him to watch pornography before the attack.







Imran Ahmad Khan was found guilty of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy
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The complainant, who is now 29, contacted the Conservative Party on learning that Khan was standing to be elected in 2019. He then went to the police when Khan became an MP.

Khan, who has said he will appeal his conviction, was expelled from the Conservative party and finally quit as an MP earlier this month, triggering a by-election.

He is due to be sentenced later this month.

Neil Parish

“Porn Tory” Neil Parish resigned in disgrace last month after admitting to watching X-rated videos in the Commons chamber.

The Environment Committee chairman said it had been a “moment of madness” and claimed he had accidentally stumbled upon explicit material while searching for tractors on his phone.

However he admitted “my crime – biggest crime – is that on another occasion I went in a second time”.







Tory Neil Parish has admitted watching porn in the Commons
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Allies suggested the former farmer may have been looking for a brand of combine harvester, known as a Dominator.

His resignation has triggered a by-election in his Devon seat of Tiverton and Honiton, which has been Conservative since it was created in 1997.

Rob Roberts

Delyn MP Rob Roberts was handed a six-week suspension from the Commons last year for sexually harassing a member of staff.

The Independent Expert Panel ruled he had committed significant misconduct and abused his position by making repeated unwanted advances towards a male employee.

IEP chair Sir Stephen Irwin said at the time: “The misconduct demonstrated here was significant.”

Mr Roberts admitted he had “asked a male member of Parliamentary staff to dinner in the hope of striking up a personal relationship” but said he recognised this was “completely improper”.

The MP was stripped of his Conservative party membership for 12 weeks but it was restored in November.

However he still sits as an independent MP as he hasn’t had the Tory whip restored.

Andrew Griffiths

Former Conservative minister Andrew Griffiths was found to have raped and abused his wife by a family court judge.

Judge Elizabeth Williscroft said he pressurised Kate Griffiths into engaging in sexual activity, and used “coercive and controlling behaviour”.

The findings were made in a private family court but it was later revealed after journalists argued the information should be shared with the public.

Civil cases have a lower burden of proof than a criminal case, meaning the claimant must prove their case is true on “a balance of probabilities” rather than “beyond reasonable doubt”.







Andrew Griffiths was found to have raped and physically abused his wife
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Ms Griffiths, who succeeded him as MP for Burton in December 2019, agreed to be named in reports – despite victims of sexual assault having a right to anonymity.

Mr Griffiths resigned from Government and was suspended by the Tories in 2018 after the Sunday Mirror revealed he bombarded two female constituents with “depraved” messages.

He had the whip restored later that year ahead of a crunch vote in Theresa May’s leadership.

The Commons standards watchdog cleared him of breaking the rules in 2019 as it found no evidence that he sent the messages while engaged in parliamentary activities.

Charlie Elphicke

Shamed former Tory MP Charlie Elphicke was handed a two year prison sentence in September 2020 for three counts of sexual assault against two women.

The court heard how he had asked one of his victims about bondage and sex, then kissed her and groped her breast before chasing her around his home, chanting: “I’m a naughty Tory.”







Charlie Elphicke was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault against two women
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The sentencing judge described him as a “sexual predator” who used his “success and respectability as a cover” and told a “pack of lies”.

The ex-Dover MP was released last year after serving half of his sentence.

His former wife Nathalie Elphicke replaced him as MP for the Kent constituency.

Sir Michael Fallon

Sir Michael Fallon became one of the most high-profile casualties of the Westminster sexual harassment scandal in November 2017.

The senior Tory resigned as Defence Secretary after admitting his behaviour had “fallen below the high standards required”.







Former Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon
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He had been accused repeatedly putting his hand on journalist Julia Hartley Brewer’s knee during a dinner in 2002 and lunging at Jane Merrick, another political journalist, in 2003.

Ms Merrick reported him to Downing Street shortly before he resigned. He later did not seek re-election in 2019.

Damian Green

Theresa May’s de-facto deputy was sacked from cabinet in 2017 after he was found to have made “inaccurate and misleading” statements over what he knew about claims pornography was found on his office computer in 2008.

He was also accused of behaving inappropriately towards journalist Kate Maltby, who claimed he briefly touched her knee in a pub and texted her asking for a drink after seeing a picture of her in a corset in a newspaper.







Damian Green resigned from Government in 2017
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Mr Green said he was sorry if she felt uncomfortable

But he added: “But I should emphasise again as I have done throughout that I didn’t believe I did anything inappropriate, still don’t.”

Mike Hill

Labour MP Mike Hill was found to have broken Parliament’s sexual misconduct rules – but not sanctioned as he had already resigned as MP for Hartlepool by the time of the watchdog’s ruling.

The former MP invited a female worker at Westminster to live in his one-bed flat and texted her saying “I also crave your body”, investigators ruled.

Parliament’s Independent Expert Panel also ruled he came up behind the woman in his Westminster office and “touched her inappropriately”.







Former MP Mike Hill triggered a by-election by quitting
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He denied the allegations but the Panel ruled that Mr Hill subjected the woman to sexual misconduct in his flat, and in his office.

A third allegation – that Mr Hill victimised and discriminated against the woman in the workplace because she made the other allegations – was not upheld.

His departure triggered a crunch by-election in May 2021, where the Tories won a shock victory.

Brooks Newmark

The senior Tory resigned as Minister for Civil Society in 2014 after the Sunday Mirror revealed he had been exchanging X-rated photos with an undercover reporter posing as a Tory PR girl.

Mr Newmark, the MP for Braintree, told the BBC at the time: “I have no-one to blame but myself. I have hurt those I care about most.”







Ex-Minister Brooks Newmark
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He added: “I am so, so sorry. But I just need time with my family”.

He did not seek re-election in 2015.





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