Four more women have reportedly complained about the behaviour of MP Julian Knight since the Metropolitan Police dropped an investigation into him.
Parliamentary authorities are understood to have received fresh allegations believed to be about inappropriate comments made by the Solihull MP.
The complaints mean nine women in total are said to have raised concerns about his behaviour, according to the BBC. Five of these women have raised sexual misconduct complaints about him to the police, the BBC reported.
Mr Knight has strongly denied any wrongdoing and said a “single” and “baseless” complaint was made about him to detectives last year. The force dropped the probe last month.
However, Mr Knight did not have the Conservative whip restored following further allegations. At the time, a spokesman for Tory Chief Whip Simon Hart said the complaints would be referred to detectives “if appropriate”.
Mr Knight said: “I am fully aware of the circumstances of the single complaint made against me to the Metropolitan Police and the motivations of those involved in making it. This baseless complaint was dismissed by the police. I have not been made aware of any details of allegations supposedly made subsequently against me to any parliamentary authorities.
“Nor am I the subject of any investigation by Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme.
“Should I become the subject of any such investigation, I will fully and publicly defend myself against any allegations. It is deplorable that, despite the police decision, I remain the subject of what appears to be a smear campaign conducted through leaks, false innuendo and briefings.”
