THE Conservative MP for Somerton and Frome has had the whip withdrawn after allegations of drug use and sexual misconduct.
MP David Warburton has been suspended after a picture of him with what appear to be lines of cocaine clearly visible was published by the Sunday Times.
Who is David Warburton?
Since the general election in 2015, David Warburton has been the Conservative Party MP for Somerton and Frome, in Somerset.
He was born on October 28, 1965, in Burnham, Lincolnshire.
Warburton attended the selective boys grammar Reading School and went on to study at the Royal College of Music.
Before his move to politics he worked as a freelance composer, a music teacher and founded The Music Solution LTD.
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He became the treasurer of the Wells Conservative Association in 2009 and then its political deputy chairman and spokesman until 2012.
When Liberal Democrat David Heath, who had held the Somerset seat since 1997, stepped down, Warburton was put forward.
He was elected in the 2015 general election and then re-elected in 2017.
Throughout his time in parliament Warburton has fought to prevent the EU imposing excise duty on sales of small-scale cider producers.
As a backbencher, Warburton sits on many committees and groups including all-party groups and European scrutiny groups.
In 2016, he voted against a Labour Party law which would require private landlords to make housing fit for human habitation – one of 72 Tory MPs voting against it that also received income from renting property.
Is David Warburton married?
David Warburton married Harriet Baker-Bates in 2002 and has two children.
Baker-Bates works in public relations and is the daughter of diplomat Merrick Baker-Bates.
Her father is the former Deputy High Commissioner to Malaysia and British Consul General in Los Angeles.
She is employed by Warburton as his personal assistant, which is legal as she was hired before 2017 when a ban was imposed.
Why has David Warburton been suspended?
On April 2, 2022, David Warburton had the whip withdrawn and was suspended from the Conservative party.
This means he is still able to vote but not as a Tory party member.
His suspension comes after allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use were raised against him.
A woman claims he stripped naked in her flat after snorting cocaine before climbing into her bed and groping her breasts.
Trending In The Newsday Times published a picture of Warburton sat next to an overturned baking tray, on which there appears to be lines of cocaine.
She said she had warned the married MP that she did not want to sleep with him but despite this he ground his body against her and groped her.
The pair met through work and Warburton had invited himself back to hers even though she had had too much to drink.
The woman put her pyjamas on in hopes it would deter Warburton and said she lay “frozen to the spot” until he fell asleep.
He sent messages the next day asking her if she had pride in what happened and promising not to take his clothes off again.
The woman has not pressed legal charges and says she wishes to forget the incident.
Two female aids also came forward to complain of unwanted sexual comments and touching.
They have take action against him through the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme.
According to the women they could not go through his parliamentary office as his wife, Harriet, deals with HR issues.
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Warburton has said in response: “I have enormous amounts of defence, but unfortunately the way that things work means that doesn’t come out first.
“I have heard nothing whatsoever from the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme. I’m sorry, I can’t comment any further.”
A spokesman for the Whips Office said the whip has been removed while the investigation is ongoing.
