Detectives are now probing the “Tatler Tory” former parliamentary candidate Mark Clarke following the suicide of Conservative Party activist Elliott Johnson, and the claims that have emerged since his death alleging misconduct and bullying on behalf of Mr. Clarke.
Breitbart London broke the sad news of Elliott Johnson’s suicide on September 16th, noting “Mr Johnson was recently, on August 12th, involved in a heated public exchange with a Conservative Party director.”
Rows have raged inside the voluntary party since, over Mr. Clarke’s position as director of the ‘Road Trip 2015’ campaign that bused Conservative Party activists around the country to make up for the party’s shortfall in grassroots activists in key seats.
Mr. Clarke is known to have worked closely with the office of the party chairman, and claimed on a number of occasions to report directly to Grant Shapps MP who held the office at the time.
Now, former allies and friends have begun to speak out against Mr. Clarke’s behaviour following the scandal receiving more public attention.
According to the Mail on Sunday, the head of the Young Britons’ Foundation, which trains young, right wing activists, Donal Blaney, has demanded that Mr. Clarke is removed from the Conservative Party.
Mr. Clarke was recently on the receiving end of allegations regarding his sexual conduct. Three women spoke out against the suspended former Tory party candidate, with two accusing him of sexual assault, and one alleging he “liked rough sex” and boasted of how he got female Tory activists drunk using his “isolate, inebriate, penetrate” strategy to sleep with them.
Mr. Clarke, who is married with two children, is now being rounded upon by former allies.
Mr. Blaney told the Mail on Sunday of how he too felt intimdated by Mr. Clarke. He recalls one occasion: “He started effing and blinding at me over something trivial. I told him I would not put up with it. He went totally berserk. His temper goes from nought to 60 miles per hour in a second. It is very scary. It’s no wonder people, me included, feel intimidated by him.”
He added: “Mark Clarke is a menace. I find it surprising, to say the least, that two months after his appalling treatment of Elliott came to light, he is still a member of the Conservative Party. The party must show that it will not tolerate this kind of behaviour.
“Like so many others who had dealings with Mark Clarke, I wish I had done more to stand up to him and I am sorry that I did not.
“All I can do now is ensure that lessons are learned and nothing like this ever happens again.”
While police are now investigating Mr. Clarke in a more serious manner, an ongoing, internal Conservative Party investigation continues.
Some have heaped criticism on the process, organised by the new party chairman Lord Feldman. One source told Breitbart London they “couldn’t believe” that ally of Mr. Clarke Emma Pidding has now been ennobled – a sentiment echoed by Elliott Johnson’s father Ray.
“People who protected, represented, and acted as henchmen for Mr. Clarke are now trying to act as if they opposed his methods all along,” the source continued. “But some of us won’t stop until they’re all found out.”
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