Cops drop investigation into sexual assault claims against senior Tory MP Julian Knight

THE Met Police has dropped its investigation into an allegation of serious sexual assault made against senior Tory MP Julian Knight.

In a furious statement the MP for Solihull decried a claim made against him as “false” and “malicious”.

And he vowed to “pursue” people inside and out of Parliament who were involved in the allegation against him.

Mr Knight said the 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.

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 – had the Tory whip stripped off him.

Today he raged against colleagues in the Whips Office for choosing to publicly name him.

Mr Knight 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.”

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.”