A French Farce

Matthew Steeples slams the likely coverup of the latest Conservative Party sex scandal involving a still unnamed MP as a “French farce” and suggests that the Tories really shouldn’t sweep this matter under the carpet

One would have thought the Conservative Party would have come to its senses after the “French farce” debacle with the currently in the clink abuser ‘Naughty Tory’ ex-MP Charlie Elphicke and his tawdry replacement MP wife, Natalie.

Aside from both Theresa May and Boris Johnson having protected accused and, in some cases, convicted sex pest Members of Parliament in recent years, this morning the Mirror hinted at a coverup over the sidelining of an investigation into a “campaign of control and sexual abuse” of a woman by a “monster Tory MP” – a man said to be a former minister in his 50s.

In the report into this “French farce” of an investigation – which does not name any of the parties involved – the Mirror exclusively shared that the “top lawyer” Nigel Edwards QC has now taken on the woman’s case on a pro bono basis and reported allegations that:

• The woman, a lady in her 20s, was supposedly subjected to sexual assaults in July 2019 and October 2019 by the Conservative MP.
• The alleged victim claims to have been raped by the MP in January 2020.
• The same man is said to have “told her what to wear and screamed if she wasn’t smiling” during a period in which she worked for him.
• The woman’s mother told the paper that her daughter was “in shock and sobbing” after incidents and “has since been diagnosed with PTSD and is on medication.”
• The same man is said to have threatened the woman on a night out, shouted at her in the street “with raised fists, screaming in her face, and swearing at her.” On that occasion, the then reportedly “tried to push her into a taxi.”
• The MP subsequently “demanded” his victim then “come to his office and begged forgiveness” and that is “when one of the sexual assaults happened” allegedly.
• The MP then allegedly “told her he’d come after her and destroy her life if she told anyone what happened. If she didn’t do as he said, he boasted that he’d wreck her career.”
• 14 people with supporting evidence were not questioned by the police.
• Relevant documents from Women’s Aid, Rape Crisis and The Havens were not collected by the police.
• Key evidence including text messages and phone records were ignored by the police.
• Officers dismissed her claims because she was in a relationship with the MP and then “victim blamed” her.

Now, in spite of the police having decided not to proceed with any investigation into the allegations of rape, sexual assault and coercive control, Edwards told the paper:

“We are giving advice as to her options. There could be a civil claim for the damage done. A private prosecution could be considered if all other options have been exhausted.”

“All options will be explored and remain open so justice can be done and ensure any dereliction of duty or abuse of power is not unchallenged.”

Aside from doing nothing to stop Natalie Elphicke inappropriately pestering the judiciary on behalf of her convicted sex offender husband with the help of other MPs even after he’d been jailed, the fact that the Tories continue to sweep the matter of sexual abuse in their party brings nothing but shame on the entire lot of them yet again.

Follow Matthew Steeples on Twitter at @M_Steeples.