The Conservatives have zero tolerance for sexual misconduct, the deputy prime minister has advised Sky News after claims the social gathering coated up for a “serial rapist” MP.
Speaking on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, Oliver Dowden insisted the overwhelming majority of individuals had been in parliament to serve their constituents and the nation.
He urged anybody with accusations of criminality to “go straight” to the police.
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Mr Dowden was talking after a report within the Mail On Sunday that former Tory chairman Sir Jake Berry had despatched a letter to police through which he revealed a variety of allegations about an MP had been made recognized to the social gathering, however little motion had been taken.
The then high official had solely develop into conscious of the claims when he discovered the social gathering had paid for one of many alleged victims to obtain remedy at a personal hospital.
Sir Jake’s letter, written collectively with former chief whip Wendy Morton, one other MP and a Downing Street official, additionally claimed the failure of others within the social gathering to behave had allowed the politician on the centre of the allegations to proceed offending.
Responding to the newest revelations, Mr Dowden stated: “Any allegation of sexual misconduct I take extremely seriously and the Conservative Party has zero tolerance for sexual misconduct.
“We have an unbiased complaints mechanism and that investigates any allegations.
“The Mail on Sunday, as far as I can tell, doesn’t contain any details of the persons involved. So there’s a limit to what can say further than that, other than say it may be the case that these matters are subject to an ongoing criminal investigation.
“So to reassure you we take any allegations exceptionally significantly.”
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Pressed over whether there was a wider problem at Westminster after a series of scandals, Mr Dowden said: “No, I do not assume there’s there’s one thing improper about our parliament and the overwhelming majority of individuals in parliament are there to serve their constituents and to serve the nation.
“Now, in respect of a very small number of cases, it’s important robust action is taken.
“And certainly, if there are allegations, I might urge anybody to go straight to the police as a legal issues and they need to be investigated.”
It is the newest in a string of sexual misconduct claims to hit the Conservative social gathering.
At the top of final month, senior Tory MP Crispin Blunt was suspended by the social gathering after being arrested on suspicion of rape and the possession of managed substances.
It got here after former Conservative minister Peter Bone was suspended from the Commons for six weeks after a declare he uncovered himself to a member of workers was upheld.
Chris Pincher, the previous deputy chief whip, was sacked and ultimately resigned after being accused of groping two males in a Tory non-public members’ membership.
And final 12 months, former MP Imran Ahmad Khan was jailed after being discovered responsible of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy.
Source: information.sky.com”