London, UK

A conservative MP in the UK has been suspended from the Commons for six weeks after he was found guilty of bullying and sexually assaulting a former staffer.

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Peter Bone from the Wellingborough constituency allegedly exposed himself to an aide and physically struck him between 2012 and 2013.

MPs voted in favour of his suspension, meaning that a by-election will be held now on his seat, which could very well flip to Labour amid the Tory’s dipping popularity.

The Conservative Party had already withdrawn the whip from Bone, meaning he would not be able to stand for re-election as a Tory candidate and he currently sits as an independent.

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Peter Bone has denied the allegations.

Reactions

Labour party has called on the Tory MP to tender his resignation. "The people of Wellingborough deserve an MP they can be proud of. The country deserves the change that only Labour can bring," said Labour's shadow leader of the House of Commons Lucy Powell.

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On the other hand, Tory MP Philip Hollobone said it was “a very sad day” for the parliament.

"Peter has been an outstanding MP for 18 years, he has helped tens of thousands of local residents with difficulties they've had - that it should come to an end like this I think it is very sad for all concerned," he said.

About Peter Bone

Bone has been an MP since 2005. In the last general election, Bone won a majority of 18,540 - which is smaller than the Tory majorities overturned by Labour in October in both Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire in 2019.

In July 2022, he was appointed to the job of deputy Commons leader by then PM Boris Johnson, which involves handling how complaints of bullying are dealt with.

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Earlier in 2018, the Conservative party launched an investigation into the grave allegations against him, but it was dropped midway after "the complainant withdrew from the process.”

Statement from Bone’s victim

The victim was quoted by BBC as saying that the actions of Peter Bone left him a "broken shell of the young man I once was".

It was on the basis of his appeal that the investigation into Bone was launched. The MP demanded the investigation be scrapped, arguing it had been flawed.

His appeal was, however, dismissed.

(With inputs from agencies)