Tory MP cleared over sexual assault allegation
A senior MP has been cleared of a serious sexual assault allegation – but Conservatives have refused to reinstate the whip.
Julian Knight, who was suspended from the Tory Party over the case in October last year, strongly denied the allegation.
But his demand for a return of Tory whip was rejected due to ‘further complaints’.
Chief Whip Simon Hart said: ‘Following further complaints made to the Whips’ Office, we will not be restoring the whip to Julian Knight.
‘These complaints, if appropriate, will be referred to the relevant police force, or appropriate bodies.’
The decision prompted an attack by Mr Knight, who accused the Whips Office of pursuing a ‘witch hunt’ against him in a bid to stop him ‘naming names’.
He said: ‘The police have confirmed today that there is no evidence to support that allegation and closed their investigation. They did not even need to interview me to do so.
‘Yet the Whips Office now seems intent on continuing a witch hunt against me in an attempt to prevent my naming names.’
Mr Knight added: ‘The fact is that there was never anything for the police to investigate. This was a single, false and malicious allegation initially brought to them by third parties, each of whom had their own clear motives for doing so.
‘In publicly naming me in connection with the allegation, the Conservative Whips Office acted disgracefully and in breach of natural justice by removing my anonymity.
‘Their actions meant my name was dragged through the mud and my good reputation immeasurably damaged.’
Mr Knight, who is the chairman of the digital, culture, media and sport Committee, also criticised the police for ‘never even talking to him’.
‘Had the police taken the simple step at outset of interviewing me under caution, they would have seen that the allegation was false and scandalous,’ he said.
‘Instead, they waited four months, without ever talking to me, before deciding there was nothing for them to investigate.
‘It is now my intention to use every legal route available to pursue those inside and outside Parliament involved in having this allegation brought against me.’
Last month he complained to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley about the handling of the allegation, calling the investigation ‘flawed and fundamentally unjust’.
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