A senior MP who was cleared of serious sexual assault will step down at the next election as he said “no job or political career” is worth the stress of the investigation – and further claims.
Julian Knight, 51, was suspended from the Conservative Party in December last year after an allegation was made against him to the Metropolitan Police by multiple unnamed people.
The MP for Solihull since 2015 has always maintained his innocence and on 2 April, police dropped the investigation without questioning Mr Knight.
But he remained suspended from the Tory party as the chief whip, who organises the party’s MPs, said “further complaints” had been made against him.
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Mr Knight, a former BBC and Independent on Sunday journalist, has now said he will not try to get the Tory whip restored and will remain as an independent until the next election, when he will stand down.
He is also considering whether to register a criminal complaint against the person who made the initial allegation, which he said the police recently invited him to do.
“The past year has been for my wife and I the worst of our lives,” he said.
“The false and malicious accusation brought against me last December did untold damage to my physical and mental well-being as well as causing pain and distress to my loved ones.”
Mr Knight previously said the Conservative whips’ office acted “disgracefully and in breach of natural justice” by publicly naming him in connection with the December allegation.
He said on Friday he “believed the nightmare was over” and although delayed, justice had prevailed.
But he added: “However, the whips’ office immediately made a statement about unspecified further complaints which tarnished my name and left my family and me in limbo.”
The MP said he has been trying to discover the nature of the fresh allegations “so that I could deny them, since I know I am guilty of no wrong-doing”.
But he said the whips would not give him any details or a timeline, as he stressed he is “not under any formal investigation by any parliamentary authority”.
“Nevertheless, I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that no job or political career is worth this,” he added.
“I will not be requesting the return of the Conservative whip. I do this in sorrow and not in anger.”
Mr Knight will also relinquish his position as chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee as he said he now has no choice because it is a party position and is officially an independent MP now.
He thanked his colleagues from all parties on the committee and his local party members in Solihull “who have been a wonderful support” during his time as an MP.
“Most of all though I wish to acknowledge the support of my wife and loved ones during this traumatic and exhausting time,” he added.
The MP said “now is not the time” but he will be taking legal advice about whether to accept the police’s invitation to make a criminal complaint against the person who made the claims in December.