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    Article by Natalie in S Times:-

    A callous party has thrown my husband to the wolves and left my family in fear

    Natalie Elphicke


    On November 3, a Friday, we were enjoying a quiet family night. My husband and I sat side by side chatting, catching up on the week, when just after 9pm my husband’s phone rang. It was a senior journalist from the national press.

    A reporter phoning on an evening or over the weekend is not unusual. That call was. The journalist told Charlie that he had lost the Tory party whip and stood accused of a serious crime. It was the first indication that anything was wrong.

    The phone started ringing from a flurry of media outlets. It was many more minutes before the chief whip spoke to Charlie.

    Pressed for a reason for his action, the chief whip refused to give one, saying only that it was his and the prime minister’s decision. He would not tell Charlie of what he was accused.

    Before we even had a chance to tell our children, the news spread like wildfire across the national media. A BBC journalist tweeted Charlie’s suspension before Charlie had received any communication from the chief whip. The government had told the media before my husband.

    This past week another man, a respected and hardworking assembly member of the Welsh assembly, Carl Sargeant, took his own life after having the whip removed without knowing of what he was accused.

    By his actions on November 3, the new chief whip showed himself to be a man without any thought as to the welfare and wellbeing of my husband and our children. He put the news cycle and spin before doing the right thing.

    It is the case throughout history that good people have been brought down by bad advisers who put their own interest first. I find it hard to believe that the Theresa May I know, the Theresa May that my husband and I were proud to campaign for as leader of our party, who has been a guest at my family home, would have taken this action herself.

    I have always been a Conservative and part of the Conservative family. As Conservatives we cannot stand by when injustice is heaped upon injustice. When wrong follows wrong. When one of our own is thrown to the wolves — is hung out to dry in this manner without even being told of what he is accused.

    It happened to my husband. It happened to Carl Sargeant. It could happen to anyone.

    These are serious matters. Where issues are potentially criminal, complainants must go to the police. No ifs or buts. They are the proper authority, not a bunch of politicians and party men.

    Taking away the whip is a political punishment. It will never be the right action to withdraw the whip before the police have had a chance to consider whether to take action — or before an independent body has had a chance to consider appropriate action.

    To suspend the whip in such circumstances is to put at risk the rule of law itself and the chance for a person to have a fair hearing. It makes the job of the police harder. We have seen in other situations that taking precipitous action can result in extreme prejudice and false allegations.

    I cannot begin to describe the hurt and strain, the confusion and fear for me and my family. So I would like to put on record my thanks for the hundreds of messages of warmth and prayers from across the country that have sustained us day after day.

    Because decent men and women across the land know that in this country it is our most precious tenet of justice that a man is innocent unless and until he is proven otherwise. That is our rule of law.

    And at this time, when our political system is so fragile and so much is at stake as we leave the European Union, it is more important than ever that we hold fast to our core principles and British values.

    I repeat that I find it hard to believe that the Theresa May I know, whom I have been proud to see as our second female prime minister, would have taken this action herself; would have acted in such a way and without any regard whatsoever to the wellbeing of myself, my husband and our children.

    But this isn’t just about me and my family. Many politicians stand accused by spreadsheet and social media, their families privately scared and grieving, their families shamed and alone.

    I ask Theresa May to show us her compassion and her commitment to the principles of justice and our British way of life. When parliament returns this week I ask her to stop the desperate madness, to put an end to these kangaroo courts by political central offices and to support a creation of a truly independent and non-political arbitrator. To support the rule of law, and allow all claims made by any complainant to be handled in a professional, independent way.

    Rushing to judgment has lead to the death of one man who lived to serve those who elected him. It must not be allowed to lead to any more.

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