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| Scotland Yard investigates allegations of drug use by Lord Sewel | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Metropolitan police have launched an investigation into allegations of drug use by Lord Sewel, saying no arrests have been made at this stage. | |
| In a statement, the Met confirmed that a criminal investigation was under way, and that it had carried out a search at an address in central London. | |
| The statement said: “The Metropolitan police service has today, Monday, July 27, launched a criminal investigation into allegations of drug-related offences involving a member of the House of Lords. | |
| “A warrant under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, was today granted at Westminster magistrates court. The warrant was executed at 6pm at an address in central London by officers from the special inquiry team of the homicide and major crime command (HMCC). | |
| “No arrests have been made at this stage and inquiries are ongoing. One complaint in relation to this matter has been received. Our investigation commenced prior to this.” | |
| Sewel has said he will stay away from parliament until investigations into allegations that he took drugs while cavorting with sex workers are completed. | |
| The former minister said on Monday he had written to the clerk of the parliaments, David Beamish, requesting a leave of absence from the House of Lords, but left the door open to returning in the future. | The former minister said on Monday he had written to the clerk of the parliaments, David Beamish, requesting a leave of absence from the House of Lords, but left the door open to returning in the future. |
| Scotland Yard and a parliamentary watchdog are looking into lurid claims about the former minister’s behaviour after the Sun on Sunday published video allegedly showing the naked peer snorting cocaine with two women. | Scotland Yard and a parliamentary watchdog are looking into lurid claims about the former minister’s behaviour after the Sun on Sunday published video allegedly showing the naked peer snorting cocaine with two women. |
| During his leave of absence, Sewel will not be able to claim any allowances and must give three months’ notice if he wants to attend the house. | |
| He wrote: “I wish to take leave of absence from the house as soon as it can be arranged. I also wish to make clear that in doing so I have no intention of returning to the house in any way until the current investigations have been completed, when in the light of their outcome I will review my long-term position. I believe this is compatible with due process.” | |
| Sewel is under intense pressure to quit the House of Lords over the allegations, after David Cameron questioned his future as a peer. | |
| The former academic quit his £84,500-a-year role as deputy speaker of the Lords, which included overseeing conduct issues in the upper house, and has since been suspended from the Labour party. | The former academic quit his £84,500-a-year role as deputy speaker of the Lords, which included overseeing conduct issues in the upper house, and has since been suspended from the Labour party. |
| But the prime minister indicated Sewel should be kicked out of the Lords over the “very serious” allegations while senior peers said he should quit immediately. | But the prime minister indicated Sewel should be kicked out of the Lords over the “very serious” allegations while senior peers said he should quit immediately. |
| Speaking to reporters in Jakarta, Cameron said: “These are very serious allegations. I think it’s right he has stood down from his committee posts and I’m sure further questions will be asked about whether it is appropriate to have someone legislating and acting in the House of Lords if they have genuinely behaved in this way. | Speaking to reporters in Jakarta, Cameron said: “These are very serious allegations. I think it’s right he has stood down from his committee posts and I’m sure further questions will be asked about whether it is appropriate to have someone legislating and acting in the House of Lords if they have genuinely behaved in this way. |
| “It’s still going to take some time I suspect to get to the full truth.” | “It’s still going to take some time I suspect to get to the full truth.” |
| The newspaper’s footage shows the peer snorting white powder – alleged to be cocaine – from a sex worker’s breasts using a £5 note. The Lords commissioner for standards, Paul Kernaghan, a former police chief constable, is now carrying out an initial assessment of the allegations following a formal complaint made by the Liberal Democrats about Sewel. He is expected to decide within 48 hours whether to launch a full investigation that could lead to the peer being expelled from parliament. | |
| Police sources indicated they would assess the evidence after the referral from the Speaker of the Lords, Lady D’Souza, but pointed out that drug-taking allegations were notoriously difficult to prove when there was only video evidence, rather than substances that could be tested. | Police sources indicated they would assess the evidence after the referral from the Speaker of the Lords, Lady D’Souza, but pointed out that drug-taking allegations were notoriously difficult to prove when there was only video evidence, rather than substances that could be tested. |
| Former Commons Speaker Lady Boothroyd said the peer had “brought the House into some disrepute” and should “take a quiet way out of the back door of the House of Lords”. She told BBC Radio 4’s World at One: “It doesn’t leave us with a very good smell under the nose of the public, quite frankly. | Former Commons Speaker Lady Boothroyd said the peer had “brought the House into some disrepute” and should “take a quiet way out of the back door of the House of Lords”. She told BBC Radio 4’s World at One: “It doesn’t leave us with a very good smell under the nose of the public, quite frankly. |
| “You only need one bad apple in the barrel and he’s been the bad apple in this barrel,” she added. The shadow business secretary, Chuka Umunna, said the peer should “fall on his sword” if the allegations were proven. He said: “It’s very important to be clear that these are allegations, but if they are founded then of course it would be preferable for him to fall on his sword, if you like, before requiring others to intervene to get him to do the right thing.” | “You only need one bad apple in the barrel and he’s been the bad apple in this barrel,” she added. The shadow business secretary, Chuka Umunna, said the peer should “fall on his sword” if the allegations were proven. He said: “It’s very important to be clear that these are allegations, but if they are founded then of course it would be preferable for him to fall on his sword, if you like, before requiring others to intervene to get him to do the right thing.” |