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Ross Thomson: Tory MP denies 'completely false' allegations of 'sexually touching' men in House of Commons bar

'No complaint has been made to the police, parliament or the Conservative Party,' Scottish politician Ross Thomson says

Chiara Giordano
Friday 08 February 2019 18:39 GMT
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Scottish Conservative MP Ross Thomson has announced that he will not contest his seat in the upcoming general election
Scottish Conservative MP Ross Thomson has announced that he will not contest his seat in the upcoming general election (PA)

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A Scottish Conservative MP who was accused of "touching" men in a bar at the House of Commons, has insisted the allegations are “completely false”.

Ross Thomson said he would refer himself to the party’s disciplinary panel of the code of conduct “in the interests of openness and transparency” so the claims could be investigated.

Police spoke to three men about allegations of “sexual touching” after officers were called to the Strangers Bar earlier this week.

Mr Thomson, who was elected as the MP for Aberdeen South in 2017, was allegedly escorted out of the bar by police, although officers indicated that no formal charges or arrests were made.

The MP said no complaint had been made to police, parliament or the Conservative Party in a statement.

He tweeted: “A series of serious allegations have been made against me that have featured in the media. I would like to state that these allegations from anonymous sources are completely false. No complaint has been made to the police, parliament or the Conservative Party. Nevertheless in the interests of openness and transparency I am referring myself to the Conservative Party’s Disciplinary Panel of the Code of Conduct.

“This has been a deeply distressing time for me and my family but I intend to be back at work on Monday.”

The Conservative Party said it would investigate the allegations made against Mr Thomson earlier this week.

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The Scottish Conservatives deputy leader Jackson Carlaw had earlier said that the MP’s alleged behaviour had fallen well below the standards expected of an elected representative.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: “Police were called at approximately 11pm on 5 February to a bar within the Palace of Westminster following a report of sexual touching. Officers attended and spoke to the parties involved, three men in their 20s and 30s. However, no formal allegations were made to the officers and no arrests were made.”

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