Tory party has ‘zero tolerance for sexual misconduct’, says deputy PM after rape cover-up claim
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden has said the Conservative Party “has zero tolerance for sexual misconduct” following claims allegations of rape against an MP were not properly investigated.
The Mail on Sunday reported that former Tory party chair, Jake Berry, had written a letter to the police outlining concerns that several allegations had been made about an MP but that the party had taken limited action.
Speaking on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Mr Dowden said such issues were taken “extremely seriously” and urged anyone with allegations “to go straight to the police”.
“Any allegation of sexual misconduct I take extremely seriously and the Conservative Party has zero tolerance for sexual misconduct,” he said.
“We have an independent complaints mechanism and that investigates any allegations.”
He denied there was something “wrong” in Westminister despite a string of recent complaints about sexual misconduct.
In recent weeks Tory MPs Crispin Blunt and Peter Bone have faced suspensions – the former from the party and the latter from the Commons – following allegations against them, which they both deny.
Mr Blunt was arrested on suspicion of rape and the possession of controlled substances and Mr Bone was accused of exposing himself to a member of staff.
Mr Dowden said “the vast majority” of people in parliament “are there to serve their constituents and to serve the nation”.
He said, however, that in the event of any misconduct “it’s important that robust action is taken”.
“And indeed if there are allegations, I would urge anyone to go straight to the police. These are criminal matters, and they should be investigated properly,” he added.
The Mail on Sunday reported that Mr Berry sent a letter to police revealing a number of allegations about an MP had been made known to the party.
The newspaper said he became aware of the accusations after discovering the party had paid for an alleged victim to receive treatment at a private hospital.
The letter was written by Mr Berry alongside former chief whip Wendy Morton and another MP and a Downing Street official who were not identified.
It claimed the party had failed to act thus allowing the alleged perpetrator to continue offending – suggesting up to five victims were “subject to a range of offences including multiple rapes”.
“We are aware that this matter has been ongoing for over two years. We also believe there are up to five victims of X and that the failure of others to act has enabled X to continue to offend and to victimise women,” Mr Berry wrote.
He raised the issue with the police and the Speaker’s office in the House of Commons.
Addressing the report, Mr Dowden said there was “a limit to what I can say” given the lack of information as to who the article is referring to.
“It may be the case that these matters are subject to an ongoing criminal investigation,” he said, adding that such matters were taken “seriously”.
There was also a suggestion, in the article, that the party offered payments to an alleged victim. Mr Dowden, who was formerly Tory chair, said such payments “never crossed my desk”.
Speaking to Times Radio, he said: “What I can say certainly is it was not the case that I, as chairman of the Conservative Party, signed off any payments like this or indeed this discussion is some sort of mass cover-up. It wasn’t something that crossed my desk as chairman of the Conservative Party.
“It may be the case. I’m not denying that it could be the case that those payments were made, but it’s not something that I authorised or was part of as chairman of the Conservative party.”
The incident is also referenced in a book written by former Cabinet minister Nadine Dorries, which is being serialised in the Daily Mail.
She has also accused an MP of having sex with a prostitute in front of other politicians and suggested another had held a laptop containing indecent images of children on behalf of a relative.
Ms Dorries also accused the Tory whips’ office of using evidence of adultery to pressure ministers into toeing the line.
The Conservative Party declined to comment.
