Peter Bone: PM has confidence in minister who campaigned with suspended MP

The prime minister has full confidence in minister Tom Pursglove, after he was pictured campaigning with suspended MP Peter Bone, Downing Street has said.

Mr Pursglove was photographed canvassing with Mr Bone days after he was suspended from the Commons.

Labour said this was "completely inappropriate".

Mr Bone was also suspended from the Tory Party in Parliament after a report found he bullied and was sexually inappropriate around a staff member.

Asked whether Rishi Sunak still had confidence in Mr Pursglove, who is a minister in the department for work and pensions, the PM's spokesman said: "Yes. Obviously those are political issues in terms of campaigning stuff, so probably one for my political colleagues."

The Conservative Party and Mr Pursglove have been approached for comment.

Labour Party chairwoman Anneliese Dodds has written to Mr Sunak to ask if the campaigning was sanctioned by the Tory Party and what action would be taken against Mr Pursglove.

In her letter, she said the behaviour of the minister "calls into serious question" how seriously the Tory Party is taking the allegations against Mr Bone.

Mr Pursglove, who represents Corby, was photographed by the Sunday Mirror alongside neighbouring MP Mr Bone, with the pair both carrying Tory leaflets.

The newspaper said the picture was taken in Mr Bone's constituency of Wellingborough as they knocked on doors in the area, two days after he was suspended from the Commons for six weeks.

Mr Bone has also been pictured campaigning alongside local councillors in his Northamptonshire constituency, ahead of a council by-election in November.

Earlier this month, an investigation by Parliament's behaviour watchdog, the Independent Expert Panel, found Mr Bone broke sexual misconduct rules by indecently exposing himself to a staff member during an overseas trip.

It also upheld five allegations of bullying, including verbally belittling him, physically striking him and throwing things at him.

The alleged victim told the BBC "physical, emotional and psychological abuse" by the MP left him a "broken shell of the young man I once was".

Mr Bone has denied the allegations.

Last week, MPs approved the six-week suspension recommended by the watchdog, triggering a recall petition.

If 10% of voters in his Wellingborough constituency sign the petition, which is due to open next month, there would be a by-election.

Mr Bone won the seat with an 18,500 majority in 2019 but the prime minister has admitted any by-election would be "difficult" for the Tories.

The majority is smaller than those the Tories had in both Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire, which were both lost to Labour in by-elections earlier this month.

Mr Bone could stand in any by-election in an attempt to regain his seat but not for the Conservative Party, if he remains suspended.