Crispin Blunt has spoken out against Imran Ahmad Khan’s conviction for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old in 2008
(Picture: PA Archive)The LGBT+ Conservatives society has suspended former minister Crispin Blunt as one of their patrons after his comments about fellow Tory Imran Ahmad Khan.
The fallout of his comments continue after Mr Blunt has apologised for saying he was “utterly appalled” at a jury finding Imran Ahmad Khan guilty of the attack on a 15-year-old boy in 2008.
Despite retracting his comments on Tuesday, the LGBT+ Conservatives announced they were suspending Mr Blunt pending a council vote.
Statement on the suspension of Crispin Blunt’s patronage pending a membership vote. pic.twitter.com/zurov6dURQ
— LGBT+ Conservatives (@LGBTCons) April 12, 2022
The group tweeted: “We are supportive of our judiciary and trial by jury, including the right to appeal, but present circumstances are that an MP has been found guilty of a grotesquely innappropriate sexual assault on a child.
“Regardless of whether comments have now been retracted, Crispin Blunt’s statement of yesterday was innapropriate misjudged and in the present circumstances we do not feel it is appropriate for Crispin to remain one of our Patrons.”
Elena Bunbury, chair of the council, added: “The council have had numerous discussions about this and decided that the fair course of action is suspension, pending an investigation and membership vote at the AGM next month. This is a membership organisation, it’s important our members are heard.”
It came as former justice minister Crispin Blunt deleted a statement in which said he was “utterly appalled and distraught” at a jury finding the Wakefield MP guilty of sexually assaulting a child and later issued an apology on his website.
He said on Tuesday morning: “On reflection I have decided to retract my statement defending Imran Ahmad Khan. I am sorry that my defence of him has been a cause of significant upset and concern not least to victims of sexual offences. It was not my intention to do this.
“To be clear I do not condone any form of abuse and I strongly believe in the independence and integrity of the justice system.
“It is a particularly difficult time for LGBT+ rights across the world and my statement risks distracting the APPG for Global LGBT+ Rights from its important purpose. I have today offered the officers my resignation so a new Chair can be found to continue the work of the group with full force.”
A jury at Southwark crown court found Khan guilty of assaulting the boy at a party in Staffordshire in January 2008, 11 years before he became an MP.
Mr Khan, 48, forced the boy to drink gin at the party before dragging him upstairs, pushing him onto a bed and asking him to watch pornography, a court heard.
The MP, who is a homosexual and a Muslim, claims he only touched the teenager’s elbow when he “became extremely upset” after a conversation about his confused sexuality.
Janes Solicitors, the firm representing Khan, said in a statement: “Our client Imran Ahmad Khan MP maintains his innocence and will be appealing as soon as possible.”
On Monday the Conservative Party announced that Khan had been expelled with a statement which read: “A jury of Mr Khan’s peers has found him guilty of a criminal offence.
“We completely reject any allegations of impropriety.”
