SACKED Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns has said he will not return to parliament until an investigation is complete. 

Mr Burns, who was sacked last week from his ministerial role following an allegation of “serious misconduct”, added he used to “live in a country where people were innocent until proven guilty”. 

Speaking with Channel 4, the MP said: “I have still not been told by the party the nature of the allegations or the timeframe for me to engage in the inquiry.  

“I’m looking forward to engaging in that inquiry. I’m looking forward to returning to parliament in due course. 

“I will be going back [to parliament] when this process is finished. As yet, I do not know when the party will tell me when that will be or of the nature of the allegations. 

 

“I have been overwhelmed by the support from my colleagues who have found it beyond strange that the whip was withdrawn and I was sacked from ministerial office without being given the opportunity to be told what the allegation was or how I could engage in a process to respond to it. 

“We used to live in a country where the rule of law, natural justice and a process took place where people were presumed innocent until proved otherwise.” 

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Mr Burns was asked to leave the government with “immediate effect” on the afternoon of Friday, October 8 following the complaint. 

After the new broke, the Belfast-born MP told the Echo: “I was contacted by the Chief Whip this afternoon to say that a complaint had been made and would be investigated by the party. 

“Before the complaint had been considered she informed me it had been decided to remove the whip and ask me to stand down as a minister. 

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“I will fully cooperate with the investigation and look forward to clearing my name.” 

A Whips' Office spokesperson said: “We have suspended the whip pending investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour earlier this week. 

“We take all such allegations extremely seriously. The Prime Minister has been clear that the highest standards in public life must be upheld.” 

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A No 10 spokesperson said: “Following a complaint of serious misconduct, the Prime Minister has asked Conor Burns MP to leave the Government with immediate effect. 

“The Prime Minister took direct action on being informed of this allegation and is clear that all ministers should maintain the high standards of behaviour – as the public rightly expects.”