TORY MP Nigel Evans has vowed to carry on as Deputy Speaker of the Commons after denying accusations he raped on young man and assaulted another and claiming the allegations are "completely false".
The 55-year-old Tory MP described his arrest at his home in the village of Pendleton, Lancashire, on Saturday and subsequent questioning by police as "the worst 24 hours of my life".
Speaker John Bercow has agreed he should be excused from his duties chairing the Queen's Speech debate, which opens on Wednesday and is due to last a week.
Following his release on bail, Evans emerged yesterday morning in the beer garden of the village pub next to his cottage to deliver a brief statement expressing his "incredulity" at what had happened.
Looking tired and tense, he said: "Yesterday, I was interviewed by the police concerning two complaints, one of which dates back four years, made by two people who are well known to each other and until yesterday I regarded as friends.
"The complaints are completely false and I cannot understand why they have been made, especially as I have continued to socialise with one as recently as last week.
"I appreciate the way the police have handled this in such a sensitive manner and I would like to thank my colleagues, friends and members of the public who have expressed their support and, like me, a sense of incredulity at these events."
Lancashire Police said Evans, who has been MP for the Ribble Valley constituency since 1992, had been arrested on suspicion of raping one man and sexually assaulting another between July 2009 and March 2013.
On Saturday night, following several hours of questioning by detectives at Preston police station, he was released on bail to June 19.
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond questioned whether he could continue as Deputy Speaker while under investigation.
"I stick rigidly to the view that we should treat people as innocent until they are proven guilty, but it is quite difficult to carry out a sensitive and high-profile role while being under this kind of scrutiny," he told BBC1's The Andrew Marr Show.
Overwhelmingly, however, the mood both among MPs and among residents in the village appeared to be strongly supportive of Evans, who has long been a popular figure at Westminster. Foreign Secretary William Hague described him as a long-standing friend and said MPs of all parties would be "very sorry to see this situation".
Tory MP Andrew Bridgen, who was accused of a sex assault two years ago only for police to drop their inquiries six days later, also voiced his support .
"Fortunately in this country we have a rule that says you are innocent until proven guilty and I think that should be maintained," Mr Bridgen said. "I personally think Nigel should be able to continue as Deputy Speaker while the police, quite rightly, carry on with their investigations."
A statement on the Ribble Valley Conservatives Association website said Evans was "widely liked and respected" and that they expected him to continue with his duties in the constituency as normal. "In our democracy everyone accused is innocent until proven guilty and therefore unless Nigel chooses himself to cease to be our MP or the electorate vote him out or the justice system intervenes, we expect him to continue as normal to fulfil his duties in representing the people of the Ribble Valley," it said.
One Pendleton resident, who did not want to give his name, said: "It's unbelievable. I know him very well. He is an excellent person and I would stand by him 100%."
Evans was one of three deputy speakers elected in a secret ballot of MPs in 2010. Later that year he came out as gay, saying he was "tired of living a lie".
He said he had also been threatened with exposure by political opponents.
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