Crispin Blunt, the former Tory justice minister, has withdrawn his remarks casting doubt on his colleague Imran Ahmad Khan’s conviction.

After Wakefield MP Khan was convicted guilty of sexually abusing a 15-year-old kid in 2008, Mr Blunt apologised and offered to resign from his position as head of a parliamentary LGBT+ rights group.

While Mr Blunt first denounced the decision as a “dreadful miscarriage of justice” and “nothing short of an international disgrace,” Khan was expelled from the Conservative Party on Monday.
By Tuesday morning, his tweet and a statement on the case on his website had been removed.

Blunt issued a statement retracting the remarks: “After much consideration, I have chosen to retract my comments supporting Imran Ahmad Khan.”

That my defence of him has angered and worried others, including those who have been sexually assaulted, is my fault. When I decided to do this, I didn’t mean for it to happen.

In order to be clear, I do not condone any sort of abuse, and I greatly believe in the independence and integrity of the court system.

“I’m concerned that my remark may detract from the APPG [All Party Parliamentary Group] for Global LGBT+ Rights’s crucial mission at this difficult time.”

In order to keep the group’s work going, I’ve submitted my resignation to the group’s officers today.

Previously, a Conservative Party source had branded Mr Blunt’s original views as “wholly unacceptable” and said the party expected the comment to be reversed, which it was.

Armed forces minister James Heappey said to Sky News’ Kay Burley that the statements were “not anything the government connects itself with.

Heappey responded that “people should look at today as they talk to Crispin and find out what this is all about” when asked whether Mr. Blunt will be relieved of his whip.

British Labor Party lawmaker Chris Bryant called for a removal of the whip after saying on Sky News: “A parliamentarian should not be undermining the legal process like way.”

“It’s like Charlie Elphicke,” he remarked, referring to the former Tory MP who was sentenced to prison for sexual assault in 2020. He drew comparisons to that case.

“I believe the Conservative Party should be distancing themselves from him very, very swiftly if he does not also make apologies for the harm that he is inflicting to rape and sexual assault victims worldwide,” said Labour shadow Commons leader Thangam Debbonaire to a News agency.

In light of Khan’s conviction, a by-election in Wakefield, a marginal red wall seat, is now quite certain

An MP’s seat will be forfeited if a convicted sex offender is sentenced to more than a year behind bars.

Voters will be able to remove him from office with a recall petition if he has a shorter term as custodian.

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