Fresh Investigation Ordered into Sexual Misconduct Allegations against Former MP David Warburton

The sexual misconduct allegations against former Conservative MP David Warburton will undergo a reinvestigation following the successful appeal against the original probe, announced Parliament’s Independent Expert Panel (IEP) on Tuesday.

The IEP stated that the initial investigation into the ex-MP’s conduct was “procedurally flawed” and consequently ordered a new examination of the case.

Warburton, who served as a Tory MP from 2015 until this year before resigning, had his Conservative whip withdrawn in 2022 following allegations published by The Sunday Times, accusing him of harassing three women and using cocaine. While Warburton admitted to using the drug, he vehemently denied all other allegations leveled against him.

In March 2022, a member of Warburton’s Westminster office lodged a formal complaint with Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS). The ICGS initiated an investigation into four allegations of sexual misconduct and two claims of bullying and harassment against him.

The parliamentary commissioner for standards upheld three of the sexual misconduct allegations against Warburton. However, the IEP, which reviews the work of Westminster’s conduct watchdogs, determined on Tuesday that the commissioner’s investigation was “materially flawed in ways that affected the commissioner’s decision” and also identified procedural flaws.

The IEP clarified that it did not make any findings on the substance of the complaint but directed the commissioner to initiate a fresh investigation.

Warburton joins a long list of British MPs who lost their party whip in the House of Commons due to misconduct allegations. Many of these cases have witnessed investigations into the complaints dragging on for months.

In June of this year, Warburton announced his immediate resignation as an MP, expressing frustration with the ongoing investigation at the time. A by-election is scheduled to take place in his Somerton and Frome constituency later in July.