Share
26th October 2023
05:28pm BST
Conservative MP Crispin Blunt has confirmed that he was arrested on Wednesday suspicion of rape and possession of controlled substances.
On Thursday, Surrey Police said they had arrested a man in his 60s on Wednesday morning (October 25) in Horley. He was later released on conditional bail, pending further enquiries.
Blunt, the MP for Reigate, has since released a statement on X confirming that he was the man arrested.
He said: "It has been reported that an MP was arrested yesterday in connection with an allegation of rape.
"I am confirming that MP was me. The fact of the arrest requires a formal notification of the Speaker and then my chief whip.
"I have now been interviewed twice in connection with this incident, the first time three weeks ago, when I initially reported my concern over extortion. The second time was earlier this morning under caution following arrest.
"The arrest was unnecessary as I remain ready to co-operate fully with the investigation that I am confident will end without charge."
The Conservative Party has declined to comment because there is a live police investigation, according to Sky News.
Blunt has had the whip suspended though and has been asked to stay away from the parliamentary estate.
It is understood the suspected controlled substances are being tested, with the results pending.
A police spokesman said: "We can confirm a man was arrested yesterday morning (October 25) in Horley on suspicion of rape and possession of controlled substances.
"He has been released on conditional police bail pending further inquiries."
This is the second Tory MP to be arrested on suspicion of rape. In May 2022, an unnamed sitting Conservative MP in his 50s was arrested on suspicion of indecent assault, sexual assault and rape. He has not been charged and is on bail until mid-February 2024.
The news of Blunt's arrest comes a week after the Tory Party suffered by-election defeats in Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth.
In Tamworth, Labour managed to overturn a huge 20,000 majority to take the seat which had been held by the Tories since 2010.
The seat also saw a record 23.9 per cent swing from Conservative to Labour, meaning no government had previously lost such a safe seat.
The Tamworth seat was vacant following the resignation of former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher, who quit parliament following groping allegations.
And in Mid Bedfordshire, Rishi Sunak's party lost a seat they had held for more than 90 years.
Related links:
Explore more on these topics:
Politics - JOE.co.uk | Joe.co.uk
politics
