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A government official was pictured advocating for a former member of the Conservative party who was barred from Parliament due to an investigation revealing their involvement in harassment and inappropriate behavior.
Tom Pursglove, a minister in the Department for Work and Pensions, was photographed by The Sunday Mirror canvassing with Peter Bone MP.
The House of Commons voted to suspend Mr. Bone for six weeks on Wednesday, following the Independent Expert Panel’s (IEP) confirmation of allegations of bullying and sexual misconduct towards a staff member.
The committee discovered that during a business trip to Madrid, Mr. Bone had exposed himself inappropriately to the accuser in the hotel bathroom. However, Mr. Bone has denied these accusations.
A petition for a recall, set to begin next month, will result in a special election if it gains the signatures of 10% of voters in the Wellingborough constituency.
Despite being stripped of the Tory whip on October 16, Mr. Bone has persisted in campaigning for the Tories in Northamptonshire.
The Sunday Mirror claimed that Mr. Pursglove, the MP for Corby, was canvassing with Mr. Bone just 48 hours after his suspension was approved by fellow MPs.
When the newspaper asked for a statement, the Conservative minister declined to answer if it was acceptable for him to be campaigning with a suspended MP.
On Saturday, Mr. Pursglove retweeted a post from Helen Harrison, a member of the Conservative party and a councillor for North Northamptonshire Council. The post featured a photo of a group of campaigners, including some from Mr. Pursglove’s Corby constituency, who were out campaigning for a local council by-election.
Mr. Bone is pictured with the activists, holding leaflets that display the profile of the Tory candidate.
According to the Mirror, Mr. Bone said, “I would be happy to speak with you, but we are currently campaigning. Have a pleasant day.”
The previous second-in-command of the House of Commons is reported to have departed the canvassing event in the same vehicle as Mr. Pursglove.
The Conservative Party stated that they will not provide any comments.
The PA news agency has also sought comment from Mr. Pursglove.
The Individualized Education Program (IEP) determined that Mr. Bone had engaged in verbal behavior that belittled, ridiculed, abused, and humiliated an employee, as well as physically striking and throwing objects at the individual.
The investigation revealed that the MP not only exposed himself inappropriately, but also subjected the man to a degrading ritual of sitting with his hands in his lap whenever the politician was dissatisfied with his performance.
Mr. Bone has denied the allegations made against him, stating they are false and without merit.
The person filing the complaint in the case has informed the BBC that it was a terrible, violent, and traumatizing ordeal that left them feeling shattered and no longer the same person they used to be.
The Labour party has requested that Mr Bone step down immediately and spare his constituents from the recall procedure.
The Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, has acknowledged that the Tories would face challenges in a by-election for the seat that Mr Bone won in 2019 with a majority of 18,500.
The margin of victory in the five-figure range is lesser than the ones previously held by the Conservatives in Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire during the 2019 elections. These seats were subsequently lost to Labour in recent by-elections.
Source: independent.co.uk
