Cops drop investigation into sexual assault claims against senior MP Julian Knight – but he won't get Tory whip back | The Sun
THE Met Police has dropped an investigation into sexual assault claims against a Tory MP – but he won't be given the whip back.
MP for Solihull Julian Knight decried allegations made against him as "false" and "malicious".
And he vowed to "pursue" people "inside and out" of Parliament who were involved in reporting him to the Met.
But today the Tory Whips office hit back, stating Mr Knight will continue being banned from sitting as a Conservative MP.
A spokesman for the Whips said further complaints have been made against him, which might be forwarded on to the police.
They said: "Following further complaints made to the Whips Office, we will not be restoring the Whip to Julian Knight. These complaints, if appropriate, will be referred to the relevant police force, or appropriate bodies."
Mr Knight said the latest twist and turn "smacks of desperate attempts to cover up the identities and motives of those in Parliament who colluded for many months to bring the false allegation against me to the police."
He said the cops didn't even interview him over he allegations – and accused them of a "witch hunt".
Mr Knight argued a sexual assault allegation was brought to cops by "third parties" who "had their own clear motives for doing so".
"The fact is that there was never anything for the police to investigate," he said.
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Scotland Yard received a complaint against the MP in October last year and in December an investigation was launched.
Mr Knight -who was elected in 2015 and serves as Chair of the Commons Culture Committee – then had the Tory whip stripped off.
Today he raged against colleagues in the Whips Office for choosing to publicly name him.
The senior MP said: "In publicly naming me in connection with the allegation, the Conservative Whips Office acted disgracefully and in breach of natural justice by removing my anonymity. Their actions meant my name was dragged through the mud and my good reputation immeasurably damaged.
"The conduct of one person in the Whips Office, and the language used towards me, was particularly egregious."
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He added: "I have been left effectively to prove my innocence through my public statements and letters to the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police and the Chief Whip. That cannot be right.
"It is now my intention to use every legal route available to pursue those inside and outside Parliament involved in having this allegation brought against me."
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