The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
A father’s call for an independent investigation into claims his son killed himself after bullying within the Conservative Party have been heeded.
Leading Government minister Grant Shapps resigned at the weekend, saying “the buck should stop with me” after allegations that bullying within the party led to the death of activist Elliott Johnson (21, pictured).
Elliott, an ex-Spalding Grammar School pupil, was found dead on railway tracks in Bedfordshire on September 15, having left three letters at his home – one to his parents, another to friends and allies and the final one addressed to the “bullies and betrayers”.
In one he named election aide Mark Clarke as a bully. Mr Clarke denies any wrongdoing.
The party also insisted it had received no written complaints about Mr Clarke before August when Elliott had officially reported him for bullying.
On Friday, that was contradicted when a letter written to Mr Shapps in January by former party co-chairman Lady Warsi was revealed, in which she demanded action be taken against the election campaign aide for abusing her on Twitter.
Within hours, Mr Shapps, who appointed Mr Clarke as director of Road Trip 2015 – a canvassing drive transporting young Tory activists, of which Elliott was one, in to canvas in marginal seats during the 2015 general election – resigned as international development minister.
Elliott’s father Ray, had blasted the party’s decision to hold an internal investigation into the bullying allegations.
Speaking from the family’s home in Wisbech, he had earlier said: “It’s just nonsense isn’t it? These allegations are far too serious for the Conservative Party to investigate themselves.”
It seems his comments were taken on board with an announcement on Monday afternoon that law firm Clifford Chance would carry out the full investigation.
Mr Johnson also called for the resignation of Tory party chairman – and former co-chairman with Grant Shapps – Lord Feldman and said an independent organisation should be set up where anyone could report incidents of bullying safely.
