Ex-Tory chair says party should take 'long, hard look at itself' over rape claim

07 November 2023 , 09:53

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Baroness Sayeeda Warsi lashed out at the party she used to chair (Image: Getty Images)

The Tory Party should take a “long, hard look at itself” over claims rape allegations against an MP were covered up, a former chairwoman has said.

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi accused her party of having long "failed" to respond to and support victims. Rishi Sunak yesterday described allegations a Tory MP committed a series of rapes as "very serious"and urged anyone with evidence to talk to police. The Prime Minister spoke out after it emerged another former Tory chairman, Sir Jake Berry, wrote to police over fears the party was covering up a rape allegation against a Conservative MP.

Baroness Warsi, who was party chairwoman from May 2010 to September 2010, told Times Radio: "I think it does have a problem...whether it's bullying, whether it's allegations of racism and now allegations of sexual misconduct, the party for years and years has simply failed to deal with responding to victims appropriately in all of those areas. And I really hope, rather than just batting this away again, that the party take a long, hard look at itself."

Lashing out at the "rot at the heart" of the party, she went on: "We cannot be the party of government which governs in this country more than any other political party and still have this rot at the heart of us, whether that's racism, whether that's bullying, whether that's sexual misconduct. We need to be above these matters and we need to see when they come to light, deal with them quickly and coherently, and make sure that all people feel protected within our party."

Her blast came after it emerged former party chairman Sir Jake told officers there were claims of a series of sexual assaults by an MP, with potentially up to five victims. He said one alleged victim of the unnamed politician was receiving support paid for by the Conservative Party, according to a bombshell letter. Sir Jake served briefly as Tory chairman during Liz Truss’ disastrous 49-day premiership last autumn. After leaving the role in October 2022, he reportedly wrote to police alerting officers to the claims.

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In the letter, Sir Jake and Conservative former Chief Whip Wendy Morton say they became aware of a string of allegations against an MP - referred to as X for legal reasons. An extract, published by the Mail on Sunday, says: "There may have been five victims of X - who have been subject to a range of offences including multiple rapes."

It adds: “We are aware that this matter has been ongoing for over two years. We also believe there are up to five victims of X and that the failure of others to act has enabled X to continue to offend and to victimise women.”

The letter says that neither Sir Jake nor Ms Morton were satisfied with the “scant information provided to us by those who were already aware of the extant allegation”. It adds: “Additionally, neither were we satisfied that enough effort had been made to ascertain the nature of the allegations against X nor were we sure that victims had been properly advised about relevant procedures to bring a complaint.” It concludes: “'This is not something we are prepared to see continue and collectively we have therefore raised the issue with both you and the Speaker's Office in the House of Commons seeking an immediate police investigation.”

Ben Glaze