- By Andre Rhoden-Paul & Chris Kelly
- BBC News
Image supply, UK Parliament
David Warburton has resigned after a newspaper revealed allegations of sexual misconduct
An MP who was suspended from the Conservative Party over allegations of sexual misconduct has resigned.
David Warburton, who represents Somerton and Frome in Somerset, is the fourth MP in eight days to announce their resignation.
Mr Warburton stated the previous 14 months since allegations had been revealed in a nationwide newspaper had been “extraordinarily difficult”.
He added that the allegations about him had been “malicious”.
The MP had been accused of taking medication and making undesirable advances in direction of two ladies, after they and another lady spoke to the Sunday Times about his conduct. That led to his suspension from the Conservative Party in April final 12 months.
He introduced his resignation in an interview with the Mail On Sunday during which the paper stories him as admitting to taking cocaine after ingesting “incredibly potent” Japanese whisky.
He added within the interview: “I was set up, but I have been naive and incredibly stupid.” He went on to disclaim the harassment claims he’s accused of.
His fast departure means the Conservatives will now face a fourth by-election.
Mr Warburton has represented his constituency as an unbiased since shedding the Tory whip. A writ for a brand new election is normally issued with three months of the resignation, in response to Parliament’s web site.
Mr Warburton had taken the constituency from the Liberal Democrats in 2015, was re-elected in 2017 and 2019. He received with a majority of 19,213 in that final ballot.
“My constituents in Somerton and Frome who elected me three times with overwhelming majorities have for a year been deprived of the voice they need,” stated Mr Warburton.
“I am so grateful for their many messages of support, and it is with sorrow that I have no choice but to provoke the upheaval of a by-election.”
He additionally stated in his three-page resignation letter he had been denied a good listening to by the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) and prevented from “speaking out” whereas it investigated the accusations.
He joins Boris Johnson and Nigel Adams who resigned final week triggering by-elections of their constituencies.
Nadine Dorries additionally introduced her resignation, however stated her departure wouldn’t be fast as she needed to remain whereas she seeks to analyze how she was denied a seat within the Lords on Boris Johnson’s resignation honours checklist.
Labour’s nationwide marketing campaign co-ordinator Shabana Mahmood accused Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of being “too weak to act himself” after Mr Warburton resigned “in disgrace”.
Liberal Democrat deputy chief Daisy Cooper stated: “Time after time the Conservatives have mired themselves in sleaze and scandal neglecting the issues that really matter to people. Then they decided it was OK to leave local people in this seat without any proper representation at all.”