Conservative MP Resigns Amid Allegations of Sexual Misconduct

A Conservative MP who was suspended following allegations of sexual misconduct has announced his resignation. David Warburton, who represents Somerton and Frome in Somerset, is the fourth Tory MP in eight days to step down. The past 14 months have been extraordinarily difficult for Warburton since allegations were published in a national newspaper. He has described the allegations against him as malicious.

Warburton had been accused of taking drugs and making unwanted advances towards two women after they, along with another woman, spoke to the Sunday Times about his conduct. As a result, he was suspended from the Conservative Party in April of last year. In an interview with the Mail On Sunday, Warburton admitted to taking cocaine after drinking incredibly potent Japanese whisky but claimed he had been set up and was naive and incredibly stupid. He firmly denied the harassment claims made against him.

The immediate resignation of Warburton means that a by-election will be arranged for his seat, which he has represented as an independent since losing the Tory whip. According to Parliament’s website, a writ for a new election is typically issued within three months of a resignation. Warburton won the Somerton and Frome constituency from the Liberal Democrats in 2015 and was re-elected in 2017 and 2019, securing a majority of 19,213 in the most recent election.

In his three-page resignation letter, Warburton stated that he had been denied a fair hearing by the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) and had been prevented from speaking out while the accusations were under investigation. His resignation follows that of Boris Johnson, Nigel Adams, and Nadine Dorries who also stepped down, triggering by-elections in their respective constituencies.

While Nadine Dorries’ departure will not be immediate as she intends to investigate how she was denied a seat in the Lords on Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list, Warburton’s resignation was met with criticism from opposition party members. Labour’s national campaign co-ordinator Shabana Mahmood accused Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of weakness for not taking action himself. Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper expressed frustration with the Conservatives, stating that they have repeatedly been involved in scandals, neglecting the issues that truly matter to the public.

Credit: bbc.co.uk

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