Conservative MP Jamie Wallis comes out as transgender and says he was raped and blackmailed

A Conservative MP has revealed he was raped and blackmailed, is transgender and also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in a highly personal statement.

Jamie Wallis was praised for his bravery after revealing that he is "not OK", and for being open about having gender dysphoria.

The Bridgend MP said: "I have never lived my truth and I'm not sure how", but "perhaps it starts with telling everyone".

The message was posted online shortly before 3am, following a gathering for Tory MPs at which Boris Johnson reportedly made a joke about transgender issues.

The MP said: "I'm trans. Or to be more accurate, I want to be.

"I've been diagnosed with gender dysphoria and I've felt this way since I was a very young child. I had no intention of ever sharing this with you. I always imagined I would leave politics well before I ever said this out loud.

"There was a close call in April 2020 when someone blackmailed me, outed me to my father and sent photographs to other family members.

"He wanted £50,000 to keep quiet. The police were so supportive, so understanding and on this occasion the system worked."

The MP said the offender was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison after admitting his guilt.

"For a while it seemed as though I would be able to get on with things and move on," Mr Wallis wrote.

"Being an MP and hiding something like this was always going to be tough, but I arrogantly assumed I was up for it.

"Well, I'm not."

Boris Johnson tells Jamie Wallis - 'The House stands with you'

Giving details of the sexual assault, the MP said: "I 'hooked up' with someone who I met online and when I chose to say 'no' on the basis that he wouldn't wear a condom he chose to rape me.

"I have not been myself since this incident and I don't think I will ever recover. It is not something you ever forget, and it is not something you ever move on from.

"Since then things have really taken a tumble. I am not ok."

The MP was arrested and subsequently fined over a car crash last year.

Mr Wallis said he fled the scene following the crash in November "because I was terrified".

"I have PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and I honestly have no idea what I was doing except I was overcome by an overwhelming sense of fear."

The personal statement came following the night out for Tory MPs, at which "I was reminded of the incredible support those you work with can provide".

"I've had a lot of support from the Whips since I was elected," the MP said.

"Not for the reasons you might think, but there's a lot that goes on in MPs' lives and the Whips play an important wellbeing role - as far as I've seen they try their best to support and help MPs who are having a tough time. Well they've certainly earned their keep with me."

In a subsequent statement, Mr Wallis said that although he had hoped to keep his gender dysphoria private, he was grateful for the "huge outpouring of support" he has received.

He also confirmed that he would continue to present "as I always have and will use he/him/his pronouns."

Conservative MPs had gathered at the Park Plaza hotel in London, just across Westminster Bridge from the House of Commons.

At the dinner, the Prime Minister reportedly said: "Good evening ladies and gentleman, or as Keir Starmer would put it, people who are assigned female or male at birth."

The row over trans rights has been a key battle in so-called culture wars between the parties.

'A very brave statement'

Following the MP's announcement, the Prime Minster Boris Johnson thanked Mr Wallis for his bravery, "which will undoubtedly support others."

"The Conservative Party I lead will always give you, and everyone else, the love and support you need to be yourself", Mr Johnson added.

Tory party chairman Oliver Dowden said: "Proud of my colleague Jamie Wallis.

"As a Conservative family we stand together, and we will support you.

"I hope that your brave statement will help others."

Fellow Conservative MPs also showed their support for Mr Wallis, with former whip Mike Fabricant saying it was "a very brave statement".

Alicia Kearns said: "You have changed this country today Your bravery will give hope and courage to people across our country.

"From the trans community, to survivors we all here for you, as you live your life as your true self, but ever as our friend."

Welsh Conservative Leader, Andrew RT Davies MS, said: "It's really important that we as a Welsh Conservative family come around and support Jamie in his very bold and brave statement overnight and be there to support him in the weeks and months ahead.

"The statement touches on various aspects of the challenges that he's faced over the last couple of months and years and to know that people are there with him will be an important level of support for him", he added.

Talking more generally, the MS believes that the Welsh party has "a very good record when it comes to supporting people in whatever walk of life they choose".

Cat Burton from GIRES, a charity for transgender research and education, said she "applauds" the MP for his announcement.

"Coming out is always difficult for anybody. Some people categorise it as brave, but for the most part it's actually self-preservatory, because you just wouldn't be able to carry on living if you were pretending to be someone other than yourself. So I applaud Jamie's position in having come out."

She hopes this will give greater representation to the transgender community as she explained: "I doubly applaud the fact that we now have a, openly transgender MP, which we've never had before and hopefully Jamie will be able to be a little bit of an advocate for trans people in parliament."