David Warburton: Former Conservative MP’s attraction in opposition to sexual harassment claims is upheld

An investigation into sexual harassment allegations in opposition to former Tory MP David Warburton was “materially flawed”, a panel has dominated – two weeks after he resigned his seat within the Commons.

Mr Warburton was suspended from the Conservative Party in April 2022 after the allegations have been made in opposition to him, together with accusations of drug use.

But he didn’t step down till June 2023, claiming he had been denied a good listening to by parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) and prevented from “speaking out” throughout its inquiry.

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The Independent Expert Panel (IEP) has now upheld his attraction and ordered a brand new investigation to be carried out.

The panel added it had made “no findings on the substance of the complaint against the respondent, or the allegation that the complaint was fabricated”.

Mr Warburton instructed Sky News: “I do very much welcome the IEP ruling that has upheld my appeal.”

According to the panel’s report, the formal grievance in opposition to the ex-MP was made by a member of employees in his Westminster workplace through the ICGS’ helpline in March 2022.

An impartial investigator was appointed to look into six allegations in whole – 4 breaching parliament’s sexual misconduct coverage and two breaching its bullying and harassment coverage – and concluded that two of the sexual misconduct allegations needs to be upheld.

But the parliament’s commissioner for requirements, Daniel Greenberg, disagreed, claiming the investigator had not “appropriately considered and weighed the relevant evidence”.

Instead, Mr Greenberg appeared on the proof himself and determined to uphold three of the sexual misconduct allegations.

“On 8 June, the respondent [Mr Warburton] appealed the commissioner’s decision on the grounds that the investigation was materially flawed in a way that affected the commissioner’s decision; the commissioner’s decision was procedurally flawed and unreasonable; and exceptionally there was another compelling reason that the appeal should be allowed,” the IEP’s report stated.

And after consideration by a sub-panel of the group, they determined to uphold the attraction and order a brand new investigation to happen.

The chair of the panel, retired choose Sir Stephen Irwin, stated: “The sub-panel agreed with the commissioner that the investigation was inadequate but disagreed with his decision that a reinvestigation was not required.”

The panel additionally discovered:

• The investigator “failed to properly pursue” claims by Mr Warburton that the complainant had “colluded with witnesses to fabricate the complaint against him”

• Material submitted by Mr Warburton had “not been properly assessed by the investigator or the commissioner”

• Mr Greenberg had “relied on evidence that had not been adequately tested” in the course of the investigation and “omitted evidence from his considerations that might have been useful

• And they said “in elements, his reasoning was not adequate to elucidate how he had reached his conclusions”

Sir Stephen’s report said the panel had come to its conclusions on 14 June, three days before Mr Warburton announced in a public letter that he was quitting parliament over the handling of the investigation.

A by-election for his seat of Somerton and Frome is due to take place on 20 July.

“As is regular, the end result was not communicated to the events till the complete written determination giving the sub-panel’s causes was accomplished,” the panel said. “They acquired an embargoed copy of this report right this moment.

“In this case, we are not now publishing the substantive part of the sub-panel’s report, in order to avoid the risk of prejudicing the reinvestigation.”

Mr Warburton has admitted utilizing cocaine, saying he took the drug after ingesting “tons of incredibly potent” Japanese whiskey.

However, he denied claims he harassed a feminine political aide in his Westminster flat.