Tory chief whip refuses to confirm if he knew of rape allegations against MP four months ago
The chief whip of the Conservatives has refused to confirm whether he knew of allegations against a Tory former minister who was arrested on suspicion of rape on Saturday.
There are reports Mark Spencer was informed of allegations four months ago, but a source said he was not made aware of their "magnitude".
It is reported in the Sunday Times how the victim spoke to the chief whip about the allegations months ago, but she told the paper he had taken no action.
Mr Spencer did not directly respond when asked if reports were true that he had been made aware of the allegations as early as April.
"I've nothing to add at this stage, I mean there is an ongoing police investigation, I think we need to wait for the police to do their work," he told a reporter.
"They'll come forward with their findings and at that stage I think we can start and address the issues in hand."
The Metropolitan Police confirmed "a man in his 50s" was arrested on Saturday on suspicion of rape and has since been bailed.
The Sunday Times reported the woman who made the claims is an ex-Parliamentary worker who had a relationship with the MP last year.
The allegations relate to four separate incidents claimed to have taken place between July 2019 and January 2020.
The paper says the MP "assaulted her, forced her to have sex and left her so traumatised that she had to go to hospital".
Chief Whip Spencer explained why the MP had not been suspended from the party, saying "it's down to the police to do that thorough investigation, not for the Whip's Office to investigate this alleged crime".
The decision not to remove the whip means the MP will be allowed to continue representing the Conservatives in the House of Commons.
Mr Spencer said the Tory party was taking the allegations "very seriously" and would assess the MP's position once the police investigation had concluded.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock also declined to comment on the allegations, or the party's decision not to suspend the MP.
"This is a very sensitive matter, it's under police investigation and hence I can't make any comment," he said.
The Tory MP's name has not been revealed in order to protect the identity of the victim.
Mr Spencer said people must "bear in mind the victim, we don’t want to do anything to identify the victim at the same time".
Labour's shadow minister for domestic violence and safeguarding, Jess Phillips, says it is "shocking" the MP hasn't been suspended and has been calling for the man to be named.
"Of course everybody is innocent until proven guilty in our criminal justice system," she told ITV's Good Morning Britain.
But she said under safeguarding law the MP should have been "suspended pending further investigation".