The gossips have been flaying the skins off the jungle drums since we learned a Conservative MP has been arrested for rape.

Much of the chatter has centred on the suspect’s anonymity, which seems to have provoked a lot of confected outrage.

This Writer isn’t outraged by it.

I’ve been to an awful lot of court cases and I’m satisfied that when matters get that far, it is right for the defendant to be named. It is the victim’s identity that must be protected.

Matters haven’t got that far.

And accusations of rape are extremely serious, with major reputational harm attached.

So, until such time as Her Majesty launches a criminal prosecution against the MP involved, I don’t mind him remaining nameless.

Once she does, his identity should be allowed no protection at all – most particularly because he is a member of Parliament. We should expect a higher standard of behaviour from our representatives.

The other talking-point is more worrying.

People have been complaining because the suspected MP has not been suspended by the Conservative Party, in the same way that Labour members and representatives were suspended the instant they were accused.

Doesn’t this say more about Labour than the Tories, though?

Whether the chatterers like it or not, a UK citizen – no matter what the accusation against them – is innocent until proven guilty.

The Tories – for the time being, at least – are right to protect their MP from the (possibly-unwarranted) attacks that suspension would attract.

Conversely, what about Labour’s decision not only to suspend members who have been accused of anti-Semitism, but for the party actually to go out of its way to inform the media (as it did in my own case)?

That’s right – it is Labour that is at fault.

Or am I mistaken?

I suppose it depends whether you think being accused of anti-Semitism – harbouring personal opinions of hatred against Jewish people simply because they are Jewish – is to be accused of a worse crime than rape – a direct attack that violates the victim’s body and often (personally, I would say always) traumatises them for the rest of their life.

Let me know your opinions – and be sure to include your reasons for holding them.

Source: Tory MP not suspended over rape allegation arrest while investigation ongoing – BBC News

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