All the Tory MPs who have been suspended since Rishi Sunak became prime minister
Rishi Sunak is facing a fresh headache after a Conservative MP was suspended over allegations he misused campaign funds.
The Times newspaper report into Mark Menzies is the latest sleaze row to rock the Tories since the prime minister entered Downing Street with a promise to bring “integrity and accountability” to government.
Having sought to draw a line under the scandal-hit era of Boris Johnson, problems have continued to mount for Mr Sunak.
Sky News looks at the MPs who have been suspended during his time in office so far.
Mark Menzies
Fylde MP Mr Menzies lost the Conservative whip and was suspended as one of Rishi Sunak’s trade envoys after The Times published claims that he had used political donations to cover medical expenses and pay off “bad people” who had locked him in a flat and demanded thousands of pounds for his release.
Mr Menzies, who will now sit as an independent MP, disputes the allegations but “agreed to relinquish the Conservative whip, pending the outcome of an investigation”, Chief Whip Simon Hart said.
Mark Menzies. Pic: AP
Mr Sunak is facing questions over how the claims were handled, with reports suggesting that the party had been aware of the allegations for more than three months.
Sky News understands there had been an ongoing investigation by Conservative Campaign Headquarters into Mr Menzies, but further information came to light following the newspaper’s report and Mr Hart acted immediately.
William Wragg
William Wragg, the MP for Hazel Grove in Greater Manchester, also gave up the whip after he admitted to The Times he had given his colleagues’ phone numbers to someone he met on a dating app.
The senior backbencher apologised and said the person “had compromising things on me. They wouldn’t leave me alone”.
William Wragg. Pic: PA/UK Parliament
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Wragg praised for dignity
Scotland Yard later said it is investigating reports of the so-called “honeytrap” scam after it was suggested at least 12 men in political circles received unsolicited messages, raising security concerns.
Mr Wragg’s decision to voluntarily give up the whip led to criticism from within Conservative ranks, with a senior Tory source telling Sky News: “Rishi is so weak Wragg decided he’d have to fire himself instead.”
Lee Anderson
Lee Anderson has since defected to Reform UK. Pic: Reuters
Former deputy party chairman Lee Anderson had the whip suspended over “Islamophobic” comments he made about Sadiq Khan.
The MP for Ashfield, who has since defected to the Reform party, said he believed “Islamists” had “got control” of the Mayor of London, saying: “He’s actually given our capital city away to his mates.”
A day later Mr Khan accused the prime minister of being “complicit” in racism for failing to condemn Mr Anderson‘s comments that “pour fuel on the fire of anti-Muslim hatred”.
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Lee Anderson says Reform Party will be ‘a major force’
Mr Anderson was ultimately suspended, with the chief whip Mr Hart saying this was due to his “failure to apologise”.
Mr Anderson said at the time that he “fully” accepts the party had to suspend him – adding that he “will continue to support the government’s efforts to call out extremism in all its forms – be that antisemitism or Islamophobia”.
Scott Benton
Scott Benton was suspended last April after suggesting to undercover reporters at The Times that he would be willing to break lobbying rules for money.
A subsequent parliamentary investigation found he had committed a “very serious breach” of the rules and recommended he be suspended from the Commons for 35 days, a punishment backed by MPs.
Former Tory MP Scott Benton. Pic: PA
Mr Benton resigned before that could happen, triggering a by-election in his Blackpool South constituency which will coincide with next month’s local elections.
He had denied wrongdoing and appealed the suspension but the ruling was upheld. Had he not resigned, he would have faced being removed from his seat via a re-call petition which would have triggered a by-election if 10% of eligible voters in the area backed it.
Bob Stewart
Bob Stewart, who represents Beckenham in southeast London, surrendered the party whip after he was found guilty of a racially-aggravated public order offence.
MP Bob Stewart. Pic: PA
The conviction was quashed on appeal in February, but he has not had the whip restored.
Mr Stewart was convicted after telling Bahraini refugee Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei to “go back to Bahrain” during the incident in December 2022.
In overturning the decision, Mr Justice Bennathan said that while the words amounted to abuse, it was not believed that they caused Mr Alwadaei harassment, alarm or distress.
Crispin Blunt
Former minister Crispin Blunt had the whip suspended pending the outcome of the police investigation into allegations of rape and possession of controlled substances, which he denies.
Crispin Blunt identified himself as an MP who was arrested last October
The Reigate MP announced his arrest in October, calling it “unnecessary” but saying he was ready to co-operate and “I am confident will end without charge”.
Mr Blunt has said he does not intend to contest the next election. In January he was re-bailed until April.
Peter Bone
Peter Bone was removed in a recall petition
Disgraced ex-Tory MP Peter Bone lost his seat after being removed by constituents in a recall petition. The move came after he was suspended as an MP over bullying and sexual misconduct claims, which he denies.
Mr Bone’s partner was chosen to run as his replacement in the subsequent Wellingborough by-election. Labour managed to achieve a swing of 28.5% – the largest swing of this parliament at the time.
Chris Pincher
The Chris Pincher allegations led to the downfall of Boris Johnson
Former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher quit parliament in disgrace after losing his appeal against a suspension from the Commons following groping allegations made in June 2022.
The allegations ultimately led to the downfall of Boris Johnson, after it emerged the then prime minister was aware of an investigation into his conduct three years before, yet still appointed him to a role in his government involving MPs’ welfare.
Mr Pincher did not appeal against the rule breach, but argued to the Independent Expert Panel (IEP) that the punishment was disproportionate.
Labour won the Tamworth by-election. Pic: PA
His resignation triggered a by-election in his seat in Tamworth in October, which the Tories lost to Labour.
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David Warburton
David Warburton stood down from his seat in Somerton and Frome last summer while being investigated for claims of sexual misconduct. Mr Warburton, who was suspended over the allegations 14 months earlier, denied making unwanted advances but did admit to drug use.
David Warburton, the former MP for Somerton and Frome
In his resignation letter he said he had been denied a fair hearing by the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) and prevented from “speaking out” while it investigated the accusations.
An independent panel later found the investigation into claims he sexually harassed someone was “materially flawed“, but said it had made “no findings on the substance of the complaint against the respondent, or the allegation that the complaint was fabricated”.
Julian Knight
Julian Knight. Pic: PA
Juian Knight was suspended as a Conservative after a serious sexual assault allegation was made against him.
The MP for Solihull has always maintained his innocence and in April last year, the Metropolitan Police dropped the investigation without questioning him.
But he remained suspended from the Tory party as the chief whip said “further complaints” had been made against him.
Mr Knight announced he would be standing down at the next election as a result.
Andrew Bridgen
Mr Bridgen was kicked out of the Conservative Party last year after comparing COVID vaccines to the Holocaust.
Andrew Bridgen was expelled over COVID vaccine comments
The North West Leicestershire MP claimed a “consultant cardiologist” told him COVID jabs were “causing serious harms”, adding that the vaccine programme was “the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust”.
He stood by his comments following his expulsion, saying he would use his “newfound freedom” as an independent MP “to fight for justice for all those harmed, injured and bereaved due to governmental incompetence”.
Matt Hancock
Former health secretary Matt Hancock
Matt Hancock resigned as health secretary in disgrace during the pandemic when he was caught having an affair with his aide and now girlfriend, Gina Coladangelo, in breach of his own social distancing rules.
But it was his appearance on reality TV show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! that caused him to lose the whip.
Mr Hancock was heavily criticised by MPs, including Mr Sunak, who said MPs should spend their time “serving constituents”.
Sky News can reveal that the government has rowed back on a national compensation scheme for victims of child sexual abuse, despite it being promised under the previous Conservative administration.
Warning – this story contains references to sexual and physical abuse
A National Redress Scheme was one of 20 key recommendations made by the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), but a Home Office report reveals the government has scrapped it because of the cost.
Marie, who is 71, suffered alleged sexual, physical, and emotional abuse at Greenfield House Convent in St Helens, Merseyside, between 1959 and 1962, and is still fighting for compensation.
Greenfield House Convent, where Marie says she was abused
As soon as she arrived as a six-year-old, Marie says her hair was cut off, her name changed, and she experienced regular beatings from the nuns and students.
She claims a nun instigated the violence, including when Marie was held down so that her legs were “spread-eagled” as she was sexually abused with a coat hanger.
Merseyside Police investigated claims of abuse at the convent, but in 2016, a suspect died before charges could be brought.
Marie has received an apology from the Catholic body that ran the home; she tried to sue them, but her claim was rejected because it was filed too long after the alleged abuse.
Marie, 71, is still fighting for compensation for the abuse she says she suffered as a child
In February, ministers said the law would change for victims of sexual abuse trying to sue institutions for damages, which was a recommendation from the IICSA.
Previously, people had to make a civil claim before they were 21, unless the victim could prove a fair trial could proceed despite the time lapse.
Campaigners argued for the time limit to be removed as, on average, victims wait 26 years to come forward. Changes to the 1980 Limitation Act could lead to more people making claims.
Peter Garsden, President of The Association of Child Abuse Lawyers
Civil cases ‘can take three to five years’
But Peter Garsden, president of the Association of Child Abuse Lawyers, worries that when it comes to historical abuse where the defendant is dead, institutions will still argue that it is impossible to have a fair trial and will fight to have the case thrown out of court.
Mr Garsden said it takes “between three and five years” for a civil case to get to trial.
He warned that claimants “can end up losing if you go through that process. Whereas the Redress Scheme would be quicker, much more straightforward, and much more likely to give justice to the victims”.
Victim awarded £10 compensation
Jimbo, who was a victim of abuse at St Aidan’s children’s home in Cheshire, took his case to the High Court twice and the Court of Appeal three times, but, after 13 years, all he ended up with was £10 for his bus fare to court.
Despite the Lord Justice of Appeal saying he believed that the abuse had occurred, Jimbo lost his claim because of the time limit for child sexual abuse claims to be made.
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Neither Marie nor Jimbo is likely to benefit from the removal of the time limit for personal injury claims, which is why Mr Garsden is calling on the government to implement a National Redress Scheme for victims of sexual abuse, as recommended by the IICSA.
Hundreds of millions paid to victims
The governments in Scotland and Northern Ireland have set up compensation schemes and paid hundreds of millions of pounds to victims.
In 2023, the then Conservative government said a similar scheme would be organised for England and Wales.
But the Home Office admitted in its Tackling Child Sexual Abuse: Progress Update that it “is not currently taking forward any further steps on the IICSA proposal for a separate, national financial redress scheme for all survivors of child sexual abuse”.
“In the current fiscal environment, this recommendation is very difficult to take forward,” it added.
For victims, the scheme was the last chance of compensation for a lifetime blighted by abuse.
“The money is about justice and about all the other people who have had to suffer this abuse,” Marie said.
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