Mark Pritchard, the Conservative MP for The Wrekin, is no longer being investigated by the Met. In a statement, the Met said:
‘A 48-year-old man voluntarily attended a north London police station on Tuesday, 2 December where he was arrested, following an allegation of rape in central London.
‘He returned on bail on 6 January where he was informed he will face no further action as there was insufficient evidence.’
Pritchard gave a brief statement outside of Parliament this morning, where he argued that the law regarding the identity of rape suspects needs to be changed:
‘Sadly as an MP sometimes you have a target on your back. Of course, she remains anonymous. The law on anonymity does need to be reviewed and “fairness” does need to play a greater role in these cases.’
The former Deputy Speaker Nigel Evans has also argued for a change in the law regarding the anonymity of those accused of rape. In the Spectator last year, he wrote:
‘The solution is obvious: anonymity for those accused of rape, not just the accusers. This sensible plan was even in the original coalition agreement in 2010: the two parties agreed to ‘extend anonymity in rape cases to defendants’. But this was dropped (it later emerged that, in the heat of the negotiations, both the Tories and the Liberal Democrats believed it was the other’s idea). It hardly amounts to censorship: the law, as it stands now, virtually prohibits any robust discussion of cases once arrests have been made, even terrorist plots. This is observed even in the digital age. So why not extend this? It would stop people’s lives being ruined.’
Pritchard and Evans may also have the public on their side — a YouGov/Sunday Times poll from October suggested that 77 per cent believe of the public believe those accused of rape should have their identities kept secret until they are found guilty. 84 per cent believe the identity of victims should be kept anonymous.
UPDATE: According to PoliticsHome, the Prime Minister does not agree with Pritchard. His spokesman said David Cameron ‘doesn’t take that view and the Government’s position is unchanged’.
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