David Warburton, MP for Somerton and Frome, removed the Tory whip after two women formally complained to the new parliamentary guard about the harassment. The Telegraph reported that Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Appeals System (ICGS) had received a report alleging that the MP, who was sitting at the back table, had behaved inappropriately. Both complainants accuse Mr Warburton of unwanted sexual comments and touching, according to The Sunday Times. He denies any wrongdoing and says he has “huge amounts of defense”. The politician reportedly told the newspaper: “I have a huge defense, but unfortunately the way things work means that it does not come out first. “I have not heard anything from the Independent Complaints and Appeals System. I’m sorry, I can not comment anymore. “ A Whips spokesman said: “David Werberton’s MP has called for the Conservative Party to have its whip removed while the investigation is ongoing.” Mr Warburton has been an MP for Somerton and Frome since 2015. The former businessman is the chairman of the pan-party music parliamentary group and has previously been a member of the European Audit Committee. He lives near Somerton, Somerset, with his wife and their two children. The Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme was created in 2019 after the MeToo movement in Westminster. Anyone working in parliament can contact the helpline for incidents of bullying, harassment or sexual harassment.
