Mike Hancock may be suspended over sexual assault claims, says Nick Clegg
Mike Hancock may be suspended over sexual assault claims, says Nick Clegg
Lib Dem leader confirms MP may lose the party whip after Monday's meeting with Simon Hughes and Alistair Carmichael
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Patrick Wintour
The Guardian, Thursday 30 May 2013 21.08 BST
Mike Hancock, who has denied the claims, was arrested by police over the allegations in 2010 but no action was taken due to insufficient evidence. Photograph: Chris Ison/PA
Liberal Democrat MP Mike Hancock will face a disciplinary hearing next week to determine whether he should lose the party whip over "very serious allegations" of sexual assault.
In what is a potentially very delicate piece of party management, the Lib Dem chief whip Alistair Carmichael was forced to defer a planned meeting with Hancock until Monday after the MP was unavailable. The party's deputy leader, Simon Hughes, is also expected to attend the hearing.
Nick Clegg, the Lib Dem leader, speaking on LBC's Call Clegg phone-in confirmed the party was considering suspending Hancock from the party over the allegations. He has asked the party's chief whip to convene "an urgent meeting" with the MP on Monday afternoon after Hancock was served papers as part of a high court civil action. The MP is being sued in a high court civil action by a "vulnerable" constituent, accusing him of sexual assault after she contacted him for help in a dispute with a neighbour. Hancock, who has denied the claims, was arrested by police over the allegations in 2010 but no action was taken as the Crown Prosecution Service said there was insufficient evidence. The Lib Dems put out a statement saying: "Mike Hancock strenuously denies the accusations. We are not pre-judging the outcome of the case, but given the seriousness of the allegations, Nick Clegg has instructed the chief whip to invoke the disciplinary procedures of the party." Hancock said he was not aware of any disciplinary hearing planned for today and would not be able to attend if one was held. He claimed the way he had been treated by the party was "all a bit odd".
"There is no meeting, I have not been told there's a meeting," he said. "I'm in Portsmouth, I can't be in two places at once." Hancock, who has had health difficulties and underwent major heart surgery last year, said: "I have medical appointments today and tomorrow, that's the biggest priority in my life at the moment."
The MP added: "I have had no contact with the party at all today. The last conversation I had was at 10pm on Wednesday when Alistair Carmichael rang with the press release that I had already heard from journalists. I think it's all a bit odd."
The party will be reluctant to see Hancock stand down forcing a by-election since the Liberal Democrats only have a 5,000 majority over the Tories, and would not like a repeat of the recent Eastleigh by-election in which they had to pour resources to avert defeat by a narrow margin.
It is possible that if Hancock lost the whip he could remain as an independent MP until the general election.
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