Mr Warburton, who represents Somerton and Frome, withdrew the Conservative whip following allegations of sexual harassment and cocaine use. The Sunday Times, which first reported the allegations, reported that two complainants whose allegations were being investigated by parliamentary authorities bypassed his office in the Commons. The newspaper reported that the move was partly due to the person in charge of handling complaints about human resources who is Harriet’s wife, who is employed by a publicly funded salary, which can be worth up to 52,000. £. Simon Hart, the Welsh minister who also employs his wife, has tried to allay new concerns about MPs handing over jobs to their relatives, saying he was an “ardent defender” of the group. Mr Hart told Times Radio: “I think it’s really offensive for so many spouses and partners who do a very good job in Parliament, work hard and give taxpayers real value for money.”
