Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Police investigating claims Tory activist was being bullied before he took his own life

Elliot Johnson was found dead near railway tracks

Jon Stone
Tuesday 22 September 2015 19:27 BST
Comments
Elliot Johnson
Elliot Johnson

Police are investigating allegations that a young Conservative activist was being bullied by party members shortly before he was believed to have taken his own life.

The Guardian newspaper reports that Elliot Johnson, 21, named party members and campaigners in a note before he was found dead on railway tracks near a station in Bedfordshire on 15 September.

A coroners’ inquest reported by the newspaper heard that are “certain allegations with regard to the possibility of bullying before Mr Johnson died”.

Mr Johnson’s father Ray Johnson told the Guardian: “We want to find out who did these things and what happened to Elliott.

“We want to know how long the Conservative party had concerns and why nothing was done to keep young people safe. If this is happening to young activists we don’t want anyone else to suffer in this way.”

Mr Johnson, a graduate of the University of Nottingham, worked for campaign group Conservative Way Forward and was a member of the Tories’ youth organisation Conservative Future.

A spokesperson for the Conservative party said: “Everyone in the Conservative party is deeply saddened at the death of Elliott Johnson. The circumstances surrounding his death are in the hands of the coroner and it is not appropriate to comment on those at this time.”

British Transport Police confirmed they were investigating the allegations with the assistance of Bedfordshire Police

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in