THE Scottish Conservative MP accused of drunkenly groping other men in a Commons bar is facing an official parliamentary probe, senior party figures have confirmed.
It comes after an unnamed Scottish MP claimed he was the victim of unwanted attention from Ross Thomson late last year in Westminster’s Strangers’ Bar.
Senior Scottish Tory politicians have now confirmed the allegation will be investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
Scottish Secretary David Mundell said there are “processes in place for dealing with allegations”, adding: “Ross, as I understand it, is going to be subject to a parliamentary inquiry.
“He’s referred to himself to a party inquiry. I don’t believe it would be appropriate for me to comment until those inquiries are concluded.”
Meanwhile, Jackson Carlaw, stand-in leader of the Scottish Tories in Holyrood, also confirmed the move.
He said: “Like everybody else I’ve read the allegations. But I’ve got no knowledge or detail of them whatsoever.
“The standards commission of Westminster is investigating these in a completely confidential basis.
“I hope that they are able to do that timeously and then we can see the outcome of that.
“But in the absence of any detailed knowledge, there’s nothing more I can do, and no useful comment I can make.”
He said the Conservative Party had not received any complaint, but added: “There is a process under way in the House of Commons.
“He reported himself to the party’s standards committee in relation to the allegations that surfaced a couple of weeks ago.
“In relation to the latest allegations that were made against him, that is to the standards committee of the House of Commons, they have a process for dealing with it in complete confidence.
“So until we see the outcome of their deliberations, there’s nothing we can usefully add.
“Obviously we’re all concerned, but we’re awaiting the outcome of those investigations.”
The Daily Record reported the unnamed Scottish MP said he had “unwanted physical contact” with Mr Thomson.
The man reportedly made a statement to the Parliament’s sexual harassment hotline last week.
He said he had come forward because he feared Mr Thomson was trying to “gaslight” people – make them doubt their own memories – through “brazen and persistent denials”.
He also said he hoped his action would encourage others to come forward.
It is understood Mr Thomson has chosen not to respond to the claims on legal advice.
An MP making a formal complaint about another MP is expected to inform the person at the same time they contact the Commissioner “as a basic courtesy”.
The development comes on the back of police responding to a report of “sexual touching” in the Strangers’ Bar at Westminster on February 5, where Mr Thomson had been drinking.
Officers said they spoke to three men in their 20s and 30s but no formal allegation was made and no one was arrested.
One eyewitness later told the Herald Mr Thomson was “paralytically drunk”, while another said they saw the Aberdeen South MP groping the crotch of a man in his mid to late 20s.
Mr Thomson, 31, has said the February 5 allegations against him are “completely false”, but referred himself to a Conservative party disciplinary panel.
The SNP’s head of communications in the Commons called his denial “jaw-dropping”.
An initial complaint about Mr Thomson’s behaviour to Standards Commissioner Kathryn Stone was dismissed as it came from a third party, not an alleged victim.
However the complaint from a fellow Scots MP about alleged direct contact changes matters dramatically, and puts a serious question mark over Mr Thomson’s political career.
The Record said the MP behind the fresh complaint was convinced to report it following the events of February 5.
He claimed people felt “intimidated, humiliated and violated" by Mr Thomson’s behaviour.
He told the paper: “It has now pressed me to move beyond initial attempts to informally raise concerns and to now initiate a formal complaint.
“I hope this will give some reassurance to others who have been affected and have felt less able to come forward formally.”
A source close to Mr Thomson previously said: “Ross will fully cooperate with any parliamentary inquiry. It would be inappropriate for him to comment at this time.”
In his original denial of the February 5 incident, Mr Thomson said: “A series of allegations have been made against me that have featured in the media. I would like to state these allegations from anonymous sources are completely false.
“No complaint has been made to the police, Parliament or the Conservative Party.
“Nevertheless, in the interests of openness and transparency, I am referring myself to the Conservative Party’s disciplinary panel of the code of conduct.”
The Scottish Tories have said they cannot comment during their internal party investigation.
If the party’s disciplinary panel concludes that further investigation is required, the matter will be referred to a QC who would be expected to report back in six weeks.
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