In the past 10 days, two Conservative MPs have lost the party whip over misconduct allegations. William Wragg and Mark Menzies bolster the ranks of what has become the fourth largest “party” in the Commons – the independents.
This hodgepodge of 18 MPs, all suspended by their parties over various forms of alleged wrongdoing and misdemeanour, now outnumber the 15 Liberal Democrats. Some of them are accused of breaching standards rules, others have clashed with their party leadership over political differences, and a few are accused of criminal wrongdoing.
Their number doesn’t include half a dozen or so more MPs who have either resigned under a cloud or been ejected from parliament in byelections after scandals in the past year. These include the former Tory MPs Scott Benton and Peter Bone, both of whom quit the Commons in recent months after parliamentary investigations found they had breached misconduct rules.
This steady stream of misconduct cases has been likened to the Tory sleaze scandals that dogged John Major in the 1990s, and has led to calls for better vetting of parliamentary candidates.
Diane Abbott – first elected 1987, Labour
Diane Abbott was suspended from Labour in April 2023 after suggesting that Jewish people did not face lifelong racism. Hours after her remarks were published, Abbott apologised and claimed they were made in error. A year on, however, she remains under internal investigation and sits as an independent MP, and it is unknown whether she will stand for Labour at the election.
Crispin Blunt – first elected 1997, Conservative
The veteran Conservative MP Crispin Blunt was suspended by his party in October after being arrested on suspicion of rape and the possession of controlled substances. In a statement on social media at the time, Blunt, the MP for Reigate, said he was cooperating fully with the police investigation and was “confident [it] will end without charge”.
Andrew Bridgen – first elected 2010, Conservative
Andrew Bridgen, the MP for North West Leicestershire, was permanently expelled from the Conservative party last April following the recommendation of a disciplinary panel. He lost the Tory whip after comparing the use of Covid vaccines to the Holocaust, and had used his platform to promote anti-vax conspiracy theories.
Nick Brown – first elected 1983, Labour
Labour’s long-serving former chief whip was suspended from the party in September 2022 after a formal complaint. No more information about what he is accused of has been made public. Nick Brown, the MP for Newcastle upon Tyne East, announced his resignation from the party in December 2023 and called the disciplinary process involving him “a complete farce”.
Jeremy Corbyn – first elected 1983, Labour
The former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was suspended in 2020 for saying allegations of antisemitism under his leadership had been “dramatically overstated” by his opponents, remarks which he had refused to withdraw. Keir Starmer has made it clear that he will not be allowed to stand as a Labour candidate, so Corbyn has been planning to seek re-election in his Islington North seat as an independent.
Geraint Davies – first elected 1997, Labour
Geraint Davies, the MP for Swansea West, was suspended from the whip in June 2023 after a report in Politico documented a series of allegations of sexual harassment against him. Davies said at the time that he did not recognise the claims, but apologised if he had “inadvertently caused offence to anyone”. He remains under investigation.
Jeffrey Donaldson – first elected 1997, DUP
Jeffrey Donaldson resigned as DUP leader last month and was suspended from the party over allegations of historical sex offences. The MP for Lagan Valley has said he will strenuously contest the charges and is due to appear in court later this month.
Jonathan Edwards – first elected 2010, Plaid Cymru
Jonathan Edwards has sat as an independent MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr for nearly four years. He lost the Plaid Cymru whip in May 2020 after being arrested for assaulting his wife, for which he was later cautioned.
Matt Hancock – first elected 2010, Conservative
Matt Hancock, the former health secretary who steered the government’s response to the pandemic, was suspended in November 2022 after signing up for I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! He travelled to Australia for an extended period to appear on the programme while parliament was sitting. Hancock now sits as an independent and has announced he will not seek re-election.
Julian Knight – first elected 2015, Conservative
Julian Knight was suspended from the Conservative whip in December 2022 after serious sexual assault allegations were made against him to the police. Earlier this year he was told by police that he would face no criminal action. He continues to sit as an independent MP for Solihull and has said he will not seek re-election.
Angus MacNeil – first elected 2005, SNP
Angus MacNeil was one of the SNP’s longest-serving MPs, but was suspended and eventually expelled last summer after a row with the party’s chief whip over missing votes in the Commons. He has been a vocal critic of the party in recent years, claiming it was “not serious” about Scottish independence. He has said he will seek re-election as an independent.
Conor McGinn – first elected 2015, Labour
Conor McGinn, a former Labour deputy campaign coordinator, was suspended from the party in December 2022 after a formal complaint. The nature of it is unknown. In October 2023 the MP for St Helens North told his local paper he was leaving the party and withdrawing from what he called a “flawed and prejudicial process” against him.
Kate Osamor – first elected 2015, Labour
Kate Osamor, the MP for Edmonton, was suspended from Labour in January this year for saying Gaza should be remembered as a genocide on Holocaust Memorial Day. She issued an apology for the remarks and is under investigation.
Rob Roberts – first elected 2019, Conservative
Rob Roberts was suspended from the Conservative whip over claims of sexual misconduct in September 2021. An independent panel found that he had made unwanted sexual advances towards a former staff member. Roberts, the MP for Delyn, apologised and was suspended from the Commons for six weeks, but has stayed on as an independent.
Bob Stewart – first elected 2010, Conservative
Bob Stewart, the MP for Beckenham, surrendered the Tory whip in November while he appealed against a conviction for a racially aggravated public order offence. His conviction was quashed on appeal in February, but he has not yet had the whip restored.
Mark Menzies – first elected 2010, Conservative
Mark Menzies lost the Conservative whip on Wednesday night over claims he misused party campaign funds and abused his position by demanding an aide send him thousands of pounds in the middle of the night. The Times published allegations that Menzies received thousands of pounds of campaign funds for private medical expenses over the year. The Conservative party has been aware of the claims and is investigating. The MP for Fylde in Lancashire denies wrongdoing.
Claudia Webbe – first elected 2019, Labour
The former Labour MP Claudia Webbe received a community service sentence in 2022 after being convicted in 2021 of harassing a female friend of her partner. She was expelled from the Labour party but has stayed on as an independent MP for Leicester East since then.
William Wragg – first elected 2015, Conservative
William Wragg voluntarily relinquished the Tory whip earlier this month after confessing to handing over colleagues’ personal phone numbers to someone he met on a dating app. Wragg said he feared this person, who is suspected of targeting more than a dozen men in Westminster in a honeytrap operation, had compromising material on him. Police are investigating.