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Tory MP Conor Burns has been sacked as Trade Policy Minister and had the whip removed following allegations of “inappropriate behaviour”. A Whips’ Office spokesman said: “We have suspended the whip pending investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour earlier this week.
“We take all such allegations extremely seriously. The Prime Minister has been clear that the highest standards in public life must be upheld.”
A Number 10 spokesperson said: “Following a complaint of serious misconduct, the Prime Minister has asked Conor Burns MP to leave the government with immediate effect.
“The Prime Minister took direct action on being informed of this allegation and is clear that all ministers should maintain the high standards of behaviour – as the public rightly expects.”
Mr Burns said: “Earlier I received a call from the Chief Whip Wendy Morton. Ms Morton informed me a complaint had been received about me and she had passed it to Conservative Campaign Headquarters to investigate.
Mr Burns served as a Parliamentary Private Secretary in the Northern Ireland office before resigning from the Government in 2012 in order to vote against the House of Lords Reform Bill.
In July 2019, then Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed Mr Burns as Minister of State for International Trade, a post which he held until May 2020.
He was re-elected for the third time in the 2019 General Election with a majority of more than 10,000 votes.
In August last year, Mr Burns was appointed Trade envoy to Canada by Mr Johnson before becoming Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office in September 2021.
The Tories’ four-day conference in Birmingham ended on Wednesday (October 5).
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