Tory MP says he faces a 'denial of justice' after being suspended over allegations

'The fact is that this whole area of reporting misconduct and managing allegations of misconduct is a mess'

Charlie Elphicke (PA)

A Tory MP who had the whip withdrawn after he was reported to the police over harassment allegations has hit out at the treatment he has received from the party.

Charlie Elphicke addressed his Conservative association to claim the way the Westminster sleaze scandal is being handled is “a mess” and that he faces a “denial of justice” because he says he still does not know what he has been accused of.

His remarks follow the apparent suicide of Welsh Labour Assembly Member Carl Sargeant, who was suspended by his party having been accused of harassment.

Mr Elphicke – who denies any criminal wrongdoing - claims the press were tipped off about the action being taken against him by the party before he was informed.

In one of his first acts as Chief Whip, Julian Smith suspended former party whip Mr Elphicke last week while the Conservatives handed over details of the allegations to the police.

In a statement to his Dover and Deal Conservative Association on Thursday, the married 46-year-old slammed the treatment he has received from Mr Smith and Theresa May.

“I received a call from a journalist just after 9pm on Friday evening saying he had heard I was having the whip withdrawn in time for the 10 o'clock news and asked me what was going on,” he told local activists.

“I said I had absolutely no idea. Minutes later I received a call from the Chief Whip telling me that serious allegations had been made against me earlier that week and that these had been passed to the police.

”I asked what the allegations were and he would not tell me. He only said that he and the Prime Minister had decided the whip should be suspended from me. As we spoke, the news spread across the national media.

“And that is all I can tell you. Since then I have had no further information. And here we are.

"So extraordinary as it may seem I am no wiser now than I was on Friday evening when the Chief Whip called me."

Mr Elphicke added: "The fact is that this whole area of reporting misconduct and managing allegations of misconduct is a mess.

“I have every sympathy with people who have been harassed or victimised and feel they have nowhere to turn. That is a denial of justice.

”It is also a denial of justice when people who have had allegations made against them, lose their job or their party whip without knowing what those allegations are.

“I believe this is fundamentally wrong. Wrong because it's an injustice to those who stand accused. But also wrong because it undermines our values as a country.”

He continued in his speech: “We believe in natural justice.

“So I ask you: was it in line with our values as a country that the media was told of allegations made against me last week before I was?

”Was it in line with our values that the presumption of innocence was undermined by the whip being suspended?

“Was it in line with our values to cause prejudice and harm the chances of my getting a fair hearing?”

The MP received the official backing of his constituency party, with Keith Single, chairman of the Dover and Deal Conservative Association, saying: “Charlie Elphicke is the best MP Dover and Deal has ever had.

"As far as we are concerned, he is innocent until proven otherwise."

Meanwhile, Mr Sargeant’s family and friends have expressed concerns that the politician was not given the opportunity to defend himself over the allegations about his conduct towards women.

His body was found on Tuesday, four days after he was dismissed as communities minister for the Welsh Assembly and suspended from the Welsh Labour Party.

Wales’ First Minister Carwyn Jones said he had no alternative but to sack Mr Sergeant following complaints that he allegedly groped or inappropriately touched women.

Mr Jones insisted he had acted “by the book” in suspending the Assembly Member after Mr Sargeant’s lifelong friend said he had “not done the decent thing” and called for his resignation.

Mr Sargeant’s family has called for an inquiry into the handling of the allegations against him.

Speaking publicly for the first time since the death of his colleague, Mr Jones said: “There are a lot of inaccuracies in the press and many of you have questions to ask about what happened last week.

"Everybody is grieving and it is not appropriate for me to get into the precise detail.

“These are matters for the future - things that will need to be properly disclosed through what should be a coroner's inquest.”

“As there will in all probability be an inquest, I and my team will of course be cooperating fully with any questions that are raised there.”

“The family deserve to have their questions answered and if that isn't possible through the inquest then I will endeavour to make that happen through other means.”