Yahoo News Suspended Tory MP Says Removal Of Party Whip 'Wrong And Unjustified'
Julian Knight said he will "recuse" himself from parliament while the investigation takes place.
A senior Tory MP has hit out at the decision to suspend him from the party after a complaint about him was made to the Metropolitan Police.
Julian Knight has had the Conservative whip removed, meaning he must now sit as an independent MP.
Reacting to the decision, Knight this morning said he had “heard nothing” from the police, the Tory whips office or parliament’s internal grievance service, which investigated complaints against MPs.
In a Twitter post, he also said he had never “been warned or spoken to by the Whips office about any allegations of misconduct”.
He added: “I believe their withdrawal of the whip is wrong and unjustified.”
Knight, who is chairman of the digital, culture, media and sport committee and has represented Solihull in the West Midlands since 2015, added: “Some months ago I accepted the resignation of a staff member following a full enquiry into his conduct regarding House of Commons security issues and, separately, allegations of bullying against him.
“Subsequently, I have received what my lawyers advise are explicit threats involving blackmail as well as being at the centre of a campaign of rumour and innuendo.
“All matters are now with my lawyers and I will be recusing myself from Parliament until the matter is resolved.”
I have heard nothing from the police, the Whips Office or Parliament’s Internal Grievance Service, or been the subject of any investigation by the latter. Nor have I ever been warned or spoken to by the Whips office about any allegations of misconduct.
— Julian Knight MP (@julianknight15) December 8, 2022
A spokeswoman for the chief whip said: “Following a complaint made to the Metropolitan Police this evening, we have removed the whip from Julian Knight MP with immediate effect.”
Knight is the latest MP to lose the party whip after they became the subject of an allegation.
Labour suspended Conor McGinn’s membership on Wednesday while a complaint made to his party was being investigated.
The MP for St Helens North, in Merseyside, said he has not been told of the details of the allegation but was “confident that it is entirely unfounded”.
