Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

UK parliament dogged by misconduct claims as two more MPs suspended

UK parliament dogged by misconduct claims as two more MPs suspended

Rishi Sunak promised integrity in politics but some in his party think an electoral loss is needed to clear out unpleasant MPs.
The bad behavior never seems to stop with a ninth U.K. MP now under investigation as Westminster struggles to deal with a wave of abuse claims.

Two senior backbenchers — Julian Knight, a Conservative, and Labour’s Conor McGinn — were suspended by their parties Wednesday night.

Knight lost the whip after a complaint was made to the Metropolitan Police, a Conservative Party spokeswoman said, while declining to comment on the nature of the allegation. Knight, who has chaired the influential culture select committee since 2020, tweeted that the decision was “wrong and unjustified” and claimed he had been “subject to a campaign of rumor and innuendo.” He has “recused” himself from parliament, and is expected to be replaced as committee chair while the matter is investigated. 

McGinn, who has held several roles on Labour’s front bench, said he has not been told of the details of the allegation but was “confident that it is entirely unfounded.”

The ongoing scandal adds to the political pressure on Britain’s latest prime minister, Rishi Sunak. On the campaign trail this summer, Sunak vowed to prioritize integrity but has since been forced to confront a series of misconduct allegations against members of his own party. His own deputy PM, Dominic Raab, is currently under investigation following complaints of bullying, which he denies.

The string of cases is also affecting morale within the party. One female Tory parliamentary candidate said: “We’re all increasingly annoyed that it keeps happening.” She added that there “are quite a few younger Tories — male and female — who think a big loss [at the next election] could actually be the making of the party in terms of getting rid of dead wood, especially the more unpleasant elements.”

The latest suspensions bring the total number of British MPs currently under investigation over their conduct — by the police, party bosses or the parliamentary complaints scheme — to nine, while seven more MPs continue to sit as independents indefinitely after being suspended from their parties.

Knight is the fourth Conservative to be kicked out of the party this year, including former Health Secretary Matt Hancock, who lost the whip after announcing he would take part in the reality TV show “I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here.”

Former Chief Whip Chris Pincher, who oversaw party discipline, was suspended from the Conservative Party over the summer following allegations of sexual harassment and remains under investigation, as does backbencher David Warburton. An unnamed Conservative MP has been under arrest since May on suspicion of rape and other offenses, but retains the party whip.

Senior Tory MPs have warned the current system is not dealing properly with MPs accused of sexual harassment or assault. 

Andrea Leadsom, a former Cabinet minister, said: “It’s concerning to female colleagues that a male colleague could be accused of these things, and it just goes into the ether.”

When she was Commons leader, Leadsom helped set up parliament’s independent complaints system through which staff can report bullying and harassment. 

She told POLITICO the scheme was failing because the original plan to set up an HR service alongside it was never fully implemented, meaning the complaints system is “clogged” with lower-level workplace grievances, so victims are reluctant to pursue more serious accusations because it takes so long.

A protocol set up by the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS), which allows potential criminal behavior to be referred to the police, may never have been used, Leadsom suggested.

She said some female colleagues were “pretty miserable” with the general state of political life, and in particular, the slowness to deal with problems that damage the reputation of all MPs.

Rachel Maclean, Conservative Party vice-chair, insisted procedures for making complaints about MPs had improved in recent years. She told GB News “we have made a lot of progress” and that it was vital to maintain “due process and justice” in ongoing allegations. 

A House of Commons spokesperson said they did not accept the ICGS as “failing” and pointed out there is an established HR support service for MPs’ staff.

They added that a range of services are available to staff, including a free and confidential helpline for advice on personal and work-related issues, and that complaints are referred to other bodies where appropriate.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
×