Former UK MP arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting parliamentary worker

A former UK minister was arrested yesterday after a woman accused him of rape, sexual assault and coercive control.

The Conservative MP was held and questioned all day in a police station in East London before being released on bail last night.

The complainant, a former parliamentary worker, accused the middle-aged man of abuse during a relationship last year.

She alleges that the MP assaulted her, forced her to have sex and left her so traumatised that she had to go to hospital.

Another Conservative MP reportedly raised the woman’s allegation with party chief whip Mark Spencer and leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg after speaking to the alleged victim a month ago.

The allegations were first reported in the Sunday Times.

She first made her claims to the parliamentary Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme this year.

The system was established in 2017 to allow parliamentary staff to report allegations of bullying, harassment and sexmisconduct.

The woman reportedly made a complaint to police on Friday night before a five-hour interview to detectives.

A spokesman said: “On Friday the Metropolitan police service received allegations relating to four separate incidents involving allegations of sexual offences and assault.

“These offences are alleged to have occurred at addresses in Westminster, Lambeth and Hackney between July 2019 and January 2020.

"A man in his 50s was arrested on Saturday, August 1 on suspicion of rape.”

The bailed MP has been ordered to report back to police later this month.

 

The Conservative MP was held and questioned all day in a police station in East London before being released on bail last night.

The complainant, a former parliamentary worker, accused the middle-aged man of abuse during a relationship last year.

She alleges that the MP assaulted her, forced her to have sex and left her so traumatised that she had to go to hospital.

Another Conservative MP reportedly raised the woman’s allegation with party chief whip Mark Spencer and leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg after speaking to the alleged victim a month ago.

The allegations were first reported in the Sunday Times.

She first made her claims to the parliamentary Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme this year.

The system was established in 2017 to allow parliamentary staff to report allegations of bullying, harassment and sexmisconduct.

The woman reportedly made a complaint to police on Friday night before a five-hour interview to detectives.

A spokesman said: “On Friday the Metropolitan police service received allegations relating to four separate incidents involving allegations of sexual offences and assault.

“These offences are alleged to have occurred at addresses in Westminster, Lambeth and Hackney between July 2019 and January 2020.

"A man in his 50s was arrested on Saturday, August 1 on suspicion of rape.”

The bailed MP has been ordered to report back to police later this month.