The government minister sacked by Liz Truss over a “serious misconduct” allegation was fired after being seen touching a young man’s leg in a bar at the Tory Party conference, it has been claimed.
Downing Street announced on Friday that Conor Burns had been removed from his post as international trade minister and had the whip suspended pending an investigation into “allegations of inappropriate behaviour earlier this week”.
His removal from the government came on the same day that he learned he was in line for a knighthood in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list, according to The Times.
An eyewitness has now told the BBC that they saw the Bournemouth West MP touching a young man’s thigh in the early hours of Tuesday in Birmingham’s Hyatt Regency hotel bar in front of several onlookers.
The broadcaster cited a second source with knowledge of the disciplinary process as corroborating this account and confirming that the incident was what led to him being sacked, reportedly after a third party – as opposed to the man seen with Mr Burns – raised the matter with the Tory whips.
Mr Burns said that he was not given “any information about the complaint” nor was he asked to “provide any information” when told by the chief whip that the matter would be investigated by party headquarters.
The BBC said it understood that Mr Burns strongly believes that the flirting was consensual, and in a statement on Friday he said he would “fully cooperate” with the Conservative Party’s internal investigation and looks forward to clearing his name.
Friends of Mr Burns are reported to dispute a claim by the eyewitness that the MP was told by an onlooker to stop what he was doing, and one ally told the broadcaster: “He feels imprisoned without any of the process of the police or a trial.”
Another source claimed that Ms Truss was determined to demonstrate her authority after a “diabolical conference” and “atrocious start” to her premiership, and wanted to be seen as decisive after her predecessor “vacillated” over allegations about Chris Pincher MP, which ultimately saw Boris Johnson leave No 10.
TheTimes cited a friend as saying that Mr Burns – who served under Ms Truss as a trade minister until May 2020 and as Mr Johnson’s parliamentary private secretary in the Foreign Office prior to that – already feared his career was “over” as a result of the allegations.
Government sources initially said that no complaint had been made and suggested the MP’s behaviour had been “handsy” but consensual, but a complaint was lodged overnight on Thursday by a third party rather than the alleged victim, according to the paper.
Responding to the allegations, Mr Burns said on Friday: “Earlier I received a call from the chief whip Wendy Morton. Ms Morton informed me that a complaint had been received about me and she had passed it to Conservative Campaign Headquarters to investigate.
“I was not given any information about the complaint nor was I asked to provide any information. On the basis of this complaint Ms Morton told me that the Whip was being withdrawn and that I was standing down as trade minister.
“I will fully cooperate with the party’s enquiry and look forward to clearing my name. I hope the party will be as quick to conduct their enquiry as they were to rush to judgement.”
The Independent has approached Mr Burns for comment.
