At Southwark Crown Court, an MP fell to his knees in the dock and sobbed as a jury found him not guilty of sexually assaulting two women at a private members’ club. Patrick Spencer, the MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, had been accused of touching the breasts of two women at London's Groucho Club in August 2023. The verdict, delivered after seven hours and six minutes of deliberation by a jury of eight men and four women, drew to a close what Spencer called “a very long and challenging period in my life”. But the case raises broader questions about how the legal and political systems handle sexual assault allegations against MPs, and what happens to a politician's career while they wait for a trial.
Spencer, 38, was elected as a Conservative MP in July 2024. After he was charged with the offences in 2025, the Conservative Party removed the whip, meaning he could no longer sit as a Conservative MP and instead became an Independent. At trial, the prosecution alleged that on two separate occasions during a night out at the Groucho Club, Spencer approached women he did not know, insisted they have a drink he had bought, and then came up behind them and placed his hands on their breasts. CCTV showed him staggering through the venue. One woman said she “froze”; the other said she was “mortified”. Spencer denied the allegations, telling the court he could not recall the incidents and that any contact was accidental or unintentional. He said he had been “over-friendly” and was trying to give the women a hug. After the verdict, the Conservative Party restored the whip, lifting his suspension.
“How the legal and political process works when an MP faces sexual assault allegations, using the Patrick Spencer case.”
The background to the case highlights how MPs are treated differently from ordinary citizens when facing criminal charges. The removal of the whip is a political decision, not a legal one – it allows a party to distance itself from a member while they are under investigation or on trial, but it does not affect their status as an MP. Spencer, who is the son of Michael Spencer, a billionaire donor to the Conservative Party, had been an MP for less than a year when the allegations from before his election came to light. His trial heard that he had drunk red wine with his father at lunch, beers at Twickenham while watching an England rugby match, and wine and negroni cocktails at the club. In his police interview, he called it a “moment of complete stupidity” but denied trying to “cop a feel”.
For UK readers, this case matters because it touches on the intersection of criminal justice and political accountability. MPs are subject to the same laws as everyone else, but their positions mean that allegations can trigger immediate political consequences – such as the loss of the whip – before any verdict. The trial also shone a light on the culture of private members’ clubs and the standards of behaviour expected in such spaces. The fact that the jury found Spencer not guilty does not erase the impact on the women involved, who described feeling “shocked” and “mortified”. It also leaves open questions about how parties handle allegations that do not result in criminal convictions but may still raise concerns about conduct.
Q: What does it mean when an MP has the whip removed? The whip is the mechanism that binds MPs to vote with their party. Removing the whip means the MP can no longer sit as a member of that party in Parliament; they become an Independent. It is a political sanction, not a legal one, and can be imposed when a party wishes to distance itself from a member facing serious allegations. The whip can be restored after a verdict, as happened in this case.
Q: What is the Groucho Club and why was it involved? The Groucho Club is a private members’ club in London’s Soho, known as a gathering place for figures from the media, arts, and politics. It was the venue for the night out in August 2023 where the alleged assaults took place. Staff at the club identified Spencer after the incidents, leading to his arrest.
Q: Can an MP continue to sit in Parliament while on trial for a criminal offence? Yes. There is no automatic suspension for MPs charged with a criminal offence. They remain in office unless convicted and sentenced to more than one year in prison, which would trigger a recall petition and potential by-election. Political parties may impose their own sanctions, such as removing the whip, but the MP continues to represent their constituency.
The immediate next step for Patrick Spencer is to return to work as an MP, now with the Conservative whip restored. He said he was “looking forward to getting home to see my kids and getting back to work representing my constituents.” The broader question – how political parties should handle allegations that do not lead to convictions – remains unresolved. For now, the case is closed in law, but it will continue to be cited in debates about trust, behaviour, and accountability in British politics.
