A UK Government minister has been pictured door-knocking with disgraced MP Peter Bone.
Just days after Bone was suspended from the House of Commons for six weeks after a probe found him guilty of bullying and sexual misconduct, the Tory MP and Department of Work and Pensions minister Tom Pursglove was seen canvassing alongside him.
According to The Sunday Mirror, Pursglove and Bone were out campaigning ahead of a local council by-election.
A tweet by Helen Harrison, a Tory councillor in North Northhamptonshire Council, showed Peter Bone amongst numerous party activists holding leaflets for the Tory candidate Faith Hewitt.
Superb evening talking to people on the doorstep about our brilliant council candidate @FaithHewitt12 with @PeterBoneUK #Queensway #VoteHewitt #VoteConservative #Listening pic.twitter.com/g9E76SM34o
— Helen Harrison (@helenharrisonuk) October 27, 2023
Pursglove was later photographer side-by-side with Bone as they went door-knocking, with the pair reportedly leaving in the same car.
When asked if he thought it was appropriate to campaign with Bone after the findings of the report into the MP’s misconduct, Pursglove chose not to comment.
The UK Parliament’s Independent Expert Panel found that Bone had “committed many varied acts of bullying and one of sexual misconduct” against a member of his staff in 2012 and 2013.
He is said to have exposed himself to a staff member after allegedly trapping him in a room.
The report also noted that he “verbally belittled, ridiculed, abused and humiliated” his employee and threw things at him.
Bone maintains that "none of the misconduct allegations against me ever took place".
A recall petition in Bone’s Wellingborough constituency is due to open next month.
If 10% of voters in the seat sign the petition it will trigger yet another by-election, with Rishi Sunak already acknowledging that retaining the seat would be “difficult” for the Tories.
