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| Harvey Proctor: Ex-MP faces no further police action | Harvey Proctor: Ex-MP faces no further police action |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Metropolitan Police has told former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor he faces no further action over claims that he was involved in child abuse and murder. | |
| Mr Proctor, 69, was interviewed under caution last August as part of the controversial Operation Midland, an inquiry into claims that powerful men abused children in the 1970s and 1980s. | |
| At the time he blamed a "homosexual witch hunt" by police for the claims. | At the time he blamed a "homosexual witch hunt" by police for the claims. |
| Following the latest news, he called on several top police officials to resign. | Following the latest news, he called on several top police officials to resign. |
| The Met is expected to make an announcement shortly, bringing to an end the active investigation of living suspects named by a man in his 40s known as "Nick" whose allegations triggered the inquiry, the BBC's Tom Symonds said. | The Met is expected to make an announcement shortly, bringing to an end the active investigation of living suspects named by a man in his 40s known as "Nick" whose allegations triggered the inquiry, the BBC's Tom Symonds said. |
| The development comes amid mounting speculation that the force is poised to announce the winding-up of the inquiry, which was launched in November 2014. | |
| 'Truly independent inquiry' | |
| Mr Proctor thanked his friends and family for their support, and said Operation Midland should now be the subject of a "truly independent public inquiry". | |
| He called for the resignation of Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Assistant Commissioner Patricia Gallan, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Steve Rodhouse and Det Supt Kenny McDonald, who has overseen Operation Midland. | |
| "Nick" and ExaroNews, a news agency which had reported on the story, should be prosecuted for allegedly "seeking to pervert the course of justice", he added. | |
| Mr Proctor's lawyer was told the former MP would not face any charges in a three-minute phone conversation with a senior Met Police officer. | |
| Detectives working on Operation Midland had questioned Mr Proctor twice - in June and August last year. | |
| Mr Proctor, who admitted gross indecency after a newspaper sting in 1986 when the age of consent for gay sex was 21, categorically denied the later allegations, and said they had "wrecked" his life. | |
| What was Operation Midland? | What was Operation Midland? |
| Established in November 2014, Operation Midland was set up to examine claims boys were abused by a group of powerful men from politics, the military and law enforcement agencies. | Established in November 2014, Operation Midland was set up to examine claims boys were abused by a group of powerful men from politics, the military and law enforcement agencies. |
| The claims related to locations across southern England and in London in the 1970s and 1980s. | The claims related to locations across southern England and in London in the 1970s and 1980s. |
| The inquiry was also intended to examine claims three boys were murdered. Operation Midland focused on the private Dolphin Square estate in Pimlico, south-west London. | The inquiry was also intended to examine claims three boys were murdered. Operation Midland focused on the private Dolphin Square estate in Pimlico, south-west London. |