Investigation Into Former Conservative Tory MP David Warburton Closed

Undated handout file photo of David Warburton. (UK Parliament via PA Media)

The investigation into former Conservative Tory MP David Warburton has been closed, a spokesperson for the House of Commons said on Sunday.

Warburton resigned as an MP last month following accusations of sexual harassment and cocaine use. He admitted to drug-taking but denies any sexual misconduct.

He had been sitting in the House of Commons as an independent after having the Tory whip suspended in April 2022 over the allegations.

A by-election is being held in his former Somerton and Frome constituency this Thursday to elect his successor.

Earlier this month, a parliamentary panel launched a reinvestigation after suggesting the initial inquiry had been “materially flawed.”

But a House of Commons spokesperson said on Sunday that inquiries “will no longer be proceeding.”

Allegations

The original probe came after a staffer lodged a complaint with Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) in 2022, making sexual misconduct and bullying and harassment allegations against him.

However, Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg then reviewed the evidence and found the ex-MP guilty of a third, unspecified sexual misconduct charge.

Mr. Warburton appealed against Mr. Greenberg’s decision on the grounds it was “procedurally flawed and unreasonable” and claimed he had been denied a fair hearing.

He has admitted cocaine use, saying he took the drug after drinking “tons of incredibly potent” Japanese whiskey, but has said the sexual misconduct claims against him are false.

Announcing his resignation last month, Mr. Warburton claimed he had been denied a fair hearing by the ICGS and prevented from “speaking out” while it probed the accusations.

In his resignation letter, he said had been left with “no choice” but to provoke “the upheaval of a by-election,” adding: “It is my hope that, in so doing, I can freely illuminate the methods of an oversight system not fit for purpose, so that friends and colleagues in the House can see the perverted process by which their own judgement may at any time be freighted.”

‘Vindicated’

The House of Commons Independent Expert Panel (IEP) earlier called for a reassessment of the case, after it found the first investigation had not been carried out to a sufficient standard.

But the panel did not pass judgment on the allegations themselves and said those questions remain “open.”

Mr. Warburton claimed on Sunday that the complaints against him had been withdrawn and that he was “pleased finally to be vindicated.”

He said in a statement: “I know it’s extremely rare for the Independent Expert Panel to fully uphold an appeal by an MP.

“I’m, of course, delighted but the past year has been extraordinarily painful for my family and for me, and the personal cost has been incalculable.

“As a result, and in order to speak out about the appalling injustice I have experienced, I have had to step down as an MP.”

‘Breaches of Confidentiality’

Following Mr. Warburton’s statement, the House of Commons issued its own statement condemning “egregious breaches of confidentiality.”

A Commons spokesperson said: “Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme operates on the basis of confidentiality for the benefit of all parties. It is vital to the integrity of every case and for the wellbeing of those involved. For that reason, we are not providing any information regarding the investigation other than it will no longer be proceeding.

“Divulging the details of an investigation, particularly through proactive briefings to the media, poses a significant risk to the wellbeing of others who may be involved in an ICGS case. We strongly condemn such egregious breaches of confidentiality for that reason.

“Parliament remains absolutely committed to the ICGS, which is there to ensure that all complaints are dealt with in a manner that is fair, thorough, independent and efficient, offering support to all parties, helping to ensure that lasting cultural change can be delivered in Parliament.”

PA Media contributed to this report.