Jake Berry reportedly wrote to officers over the failure to deal with allegations against a Tory MP.
Image source, ReutersThe Tory party is facing claims that a former chairman wrote to police because he was concerned that allegations of rape against an MP had not been properly dealt with by the party.
Sir Jake Berry told police one alleged victim was receiving support paid for by the party, according to a letter published in the Mail on Sunday.
He is reported to have written the letter shortly after leaving the chairman’s job in October 2022.
The MP has not been named.
The Mail on Sunday reported that Sir Jake became aware of a series of allegations against an MP – referred to as X – when he took up the chairman role in September 2022.
He wrote a letter to police with former chief whip Wendy Morton, the newspaper reported, saying the matter had been going on for more than two years, adding: “The failure of others to act has enabled X to continue to offend”.
An extract published by the newspaper reads: “There may have been five victims of X – who have been subject to a range of offences including multiple rapes.”
It also claims one unnamed individual was receiving ongoing support at the expense of the Conservative Party.
Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, who was co-chairman of the party between September 2021 and June 2022, said it took all allegations “exceptionally seriously” and had an independent process to investigate complaints.
Speaking on BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, he said that he could not comment specifically on the Mail on Sunday story, because “I don’t know who the individual concerned is”.
“I can assure you categorically it was not the case that when I was chairman of the Conservative Party, I covered up any allegations,” he added.
The Conservative Party has declined to comment.
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