MP Crispin Blunt arrested on suspicion of rape

The Conservative Party withdrew the whip from Mr Blunt, meaning he will sit as an independent MP, after he confirmed he had been arrested. He has been asked to stay away from Parliament.

Mr Blunt was elected as Conservative MP for Reigate, in Surrey, in the 1997 general election, defeating the incumbent Sir George Gardiner, who had switched from the Tories to the Referendum Party.

He served as a justice minister from 2010 to 2012, in the whips office when the Conservatives were in opposition and chaired the influential Foreign Affairs Committee.

In April, he apologised for defending former MP Imran Ahmad Khan, following his conviction for sexually assaulting a teenage boy. Mr Blunt had called the verdict a "dreadful miscarriage of justice" in a statement, but retracted his comments.

In a statement Mr Blunt, he said: "It has been reported that an MP was arrested yesterday [25 October] in connection with an allegation of rape. I am confirming that MP was me.

"I have now been interviewed twice in connection with this incident, the first time three weeks ago, when I initially reported my concern over extortion.

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