David Warburton QUITS as Tory MP after ‘sex and cocaine sting’ sparking fresh by-election headache for Rishi Sunak
CONSERVATIVE MP David Warburton who was caught in a sex and drugs scandal has resigned.
The MP for Somerset and Frome, 57, has quit after he claimed he was denied a fair hearing by a parliamentary harassment watchdog.
Warburton was suspended last year after a picture of him with what appears to be lines of cocaine clearly visible was published by the Sunday Times.
He was also suspended from the party on allegations of sexual harassment, which he denies.
Speaking to Mail On Sunday he said the parliamentary authorities are “terrified” of the MeToo movement.
He added: “I have been prevented from revealing that the first investigation against me was dismissed, that the claimant falsified evidence or that the second claimant was witness to the first and vice-versa.
“I have been prevented from saying that in the remaining case, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards [Daniel Greenberg] himself declared its year-long investigation as ‘flawed’ – that it ought to be reinvestigated – but that due to its own lethargic pace and delays, we must accept it as it is.”
Mr Warburton added: “My constituents who elected me have for a year been deprived of the voice they need. It is with sorrow that I have to provoke the upheaval of a by-election.
“I hope that, in so doing, I can freely illuminate the methods of an oversight system not fit for purpose.”
A Tory Party spokesman said: “The Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme is an independent body set up by Parliament and the Conservative Party respects its processes.
“Mr Warburton had the whip withdrawn over these complaints last April and has not sat in Parliament as a Conservative since.”
Last year a woman claimed he stripped naked in her flat after snorting cocaine before climbing into her bed and groping her breasts.
She said she had warned the married MP that she did not want to sleep with him but despite this he ground his body against her and groped her.
The pair met through work and Warburton had invited himself back to hers even though she had had too much to drink.
The woman put her pyjamas on in hopes it would deter Warburton and said she lay “frozen to the spot” until he fell asleep.
He sent messages the next day asking her if she had pride in what happened and promising not to take his clothes off again.
Two female aids also came forward to complain of unwanted sexual comments and touching.
The resignation sparks yet another by-election in a major headache for PM Rishi Sunak.
Last week Boris Johnson last night threw in the towel as an MP with a howl of rage – insisting “I did not lie”.
The ex-PM branded the Partygate probe a “kangaroo court” and a “Brexit witch hunt” that was “determined to use the proceedings against me to drive me out of parliament”.
And ultra Boris ally Nadine Dorries also quit the Commons after a major dust-up over his resignation honours list.