Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke has been referred to police following 'serious allegations'

Conservative MP Charlie Elphicke has been referred to police following serious allegations.

The Tory chief whip Julian Smith has confirmed the Dover MP has been suspended.

Mr Elphicke has responded to the claims on Twitter, denying any wrongdoing

He wrote: "The party tipped off the press before telling me of my suspension. I am not aware of what the alleged claims are and deny any wrongdoing."

Mr Elphicke has been the MP for Dover since 2010, and was a Government whip between 2015 and 2016.

He made the decision to stand down after Theresa May replaced David Cameron as Prime Minister in 2016.

It's the latest allegation in the escalating Westminster sex scandal that earlier this week saw defence secretary Michael Fallon resign after he admitted he had 'overstepped the mark' 15 years ago by placing hand upon Julia Hartley-Brewer's knee.

Yesterday it was announced that the UK Labour party has suspended Kelvin Hopkins, MP for Luton North while "allegations" are being investigated.

Earlier this evening it was also reported that Labour MP Clive Lewis is being investigated by his party over a groping allegation after a 39-year-old woman accused him of giving her bottom 'a big squeeze' as he hugged her at his party's conference in Brighton in September.

The 39-year-old alleged victim said: "We had a hug and while we were having a hug he gave my bum a big squeeze,' the woman told the Independent.

"My friend who was there, a fellow [constituency party] delegate... me and him looked at each other and our eyebrows went "whoaaa".' You kind of jump. I didn't feel grossed out. I definitely laughed. It felt like if you are hugging a mate. I don't know. It was over familiar. I had never met him before."

The former Labour frontbencher has denied the allegations, saying: "I don't as a rule at packed Labour Party conferences grope people's bottoms when I greet them. It's just not how I roll, it's not what I do," he told BBC News.

"All I know is that I would not deliberately do that, do what's alleged. I completely deny that. I'm feeling pretty taken aback by it all. It's not been a great week for Parliament. It's been a pretty tough fortnight," he added.

The alleged incident is said to have taken place at the same event where Mr Lewis was recorded saying the phrase 'get on you knees b****', which he has since apologised for.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: "The Labour Party is investigating a formal complaint made today against Clive Lewis."