Accusations of more Tory sleaze could stick to Rishi Sunak

Editorial: The Conservatives insist they do not have a ‘cultural issue’ with sleaze. The public could be forgiven for thinking otherwise

The PM should make it clear that he will not tolerate misbehaviour by his MPs and will sweep the stables clean (PA)

Gillian Keegan, the education secretary, argues that Conservative MPs do not have a “cultural issue” after a week in which two more of them lost the whip following allegations of bullying and rape respectively. Ms Keegan insists: “I see individual incidents which are all investigated as such.”

The public would be forgiven for thinking otherwise. Former ministers Peter Bone, who was given a six-week Commons suspension for bullying and sexual misconduct against a staff member, and Crispin Blunt, who was arrested on suspicion of rape and possession of controlled substances but is “confident” he will not be charged, are among six Tories currently suspended from the parliamentary party. Another, who has not been named, was arrested last year on suspicion of sexual assault and rape but remains a Tory MP. He has not been charged.

David Warburton, who was accused of harassing three women and posing next to cocaine but denied “malicious allegations”, was suspended by the Conservative Party and then resigned; Chris Pincher, the former deputy chief whip, who drunkenly groped two men, was also suspended and subsequently quit as an MP. Others also jumped before they were pushed, including Neil Parish, who watched porn in the Commons chamber. Imran Ahmad Khan resigned following his conviction for the sexual assault of a 15-year-old boy. There have been other allegations of misbehaviour: Owen Paterson stepped down after breaking Commons rules on lobbying.