London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Jul 06, 2025

Trade minister Conor Burns sacked after misconduct claim

Trade minister Conor Burns sacked after misconduct claim

Trade minister Conor Burns has been sacked from the government after a complaint of serious misconduct.

Mr Burns, 50, has also had the Tory whip removed while allegations of inappropriate behaviour during the party conference are investigated.

Downing Street said the prime minister "took direct action on being informed of this allegation".

Mr Burns said: "I will fully cooperate with the Party's enquiry and look forward to clearing my name."

In a string of tweets Mr Burns said he was not given any information about the complaint, "nor was I asked to provide any information".

He said: "I hope the party will be as quick to conduct their enquiry as they were to rush to judgement".

In a statement No 10 said: "Following a complaint of serious misconduct, the prime minister has asked Conor Burns MP to leave the government with immediate effect.

"The prime minister took direct action on being informed of this allegation and is clear that all ministers should maintain the high standards of behaviour - as the public rightly expects."

A spokesman for the Whips' Office said: "We have suspended the whip pending [an] investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour earlier this week.

"We take all such allegations extremely seriously. The prime minister has been clear that the highest standards in public life must be upheld."

The LGBT+ Conservatives have suspended Mr Burns as a patron "pending the conclusion of investigations".

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner said: "After just a month as prime Minister, Liz Truss's government is already beset by scandal.

She said it was "the latest in a long line of serious misconduct allegations, and raises serious questions not only about yet another minister but about the prime minister's judgement in refusing to appoint an independent ethics adviser."

MP for Bournemouth West since 2010, Mr Burns has served as a minister under both Liz Truss and Boris Johnson.

In 2020 he resigned as a trade minister after a parliamentary watchdog ruled he used his position to "intimidate a member of the public".

He later returned to government as a minister in the Northern Ireland Office, and had been working on this week's discussions about the Northern Ireland Protocol.

In August, Mr Burns attended the funeral of former Northern Ireland First Minister Lord Trimble alongside Taoiseach Micheal Martin


Earlier this year then deputy chief whip Chris Pincher was suspended by the party after he was alleged to have groped two men in a club, setting off a chain reaction that led to Mr Johnson stepping down as an prime minister. Mr Pincher has denied the claims.

Neil Parish resigned as a Tory MP in April after he admitted watching pornography in the House of Commons.

Work and Pensions Minister Victoria Prentis said the allegations were "obviously concerning", but she had been assured the matter was being taken "very seriously".

"In terms of politics as a whole it's always worrying because we all expect and hope to maintain the highest standards in public life," she told Times Radio.

Conservative MP Simon Hoare defended the suspended Mr Burns, saying: "You couldn't find a harder working person, so I'm very sad he has lost his position in government."

He told BBC Radio 4's PM programme that he hoped Mr Burns would "return to government and continue as an effective minister".

Any inquiry should take place "speedily" and "on the presumption...that you're innocent until proven guilty", Mr Hoare added.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
×