Deputy House of Commons speaker Nigel Evans arrested over rape allegations

Conservative MP and deputy speaker of the House of Commons, Nigel Evans, has been arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault.

Two men in their early twenties have filed charges against Mr Evans.  The incidents are said to have taken place between July 2009 and March 2013.

His home in Lancashire, where he was arrested this morning, has been searched and it is thought he is still being questioned by police officers tonight.

The offences are reported to have been committed at Mr Evans’ home in the village of Pendleton near Clitheroe.

Mr Evans was promoted to deputy speaker in 2010. At the end of that year he came out as gay telling the Daily Mail he was “tired of living a lie” and had received blackmail threats because of his sexuality in the past.

Since then the 55 year old has been a prominent gay rights campaigner.

Lancashire police released a statement confirming that a 55 year old man from Pendleton had “been arrested by Lancashire Constabulary on suspicion of rape and sexual assault”. A spokesperson for Lancashire police refused to confirm that it was Mr Evans that had been arrested but Downing Street sources have confirmed that it was.

Both David Cameron and the speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, have been informed of Mr Evans’ arrest.

Zoe Field