UK Trade Minister fired after misconduct claim

Bournemouth West MP (Member of Parliament) Conor Burns, who was the Minister of State for trade policy for The Conservative Party, has been fired by Prime Minister Liz Truss after a complaint of “serious misconduct” in a bar at the recent Conservative Party conference.  

Government sources said that Burns’ behavior was described by witnesses as “handsy.”

A spokesman for Liz Truss said that “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 behavior – as the public rightly expects,” the statement goes on to say.

Burns, 50, has said he will fully co-operate with the investigation and “looks forward to clearing his name.”

In a statement on Twitter, he said he was not given any details about the complaint or asked to provide any information.

Burns added, “I hope the party will be as quick to conduct their enquiry as they were to rush to judgement.”

The Conservative Party faced a similar issue in July when deputy chief whip Chris Pincher resigned from his post after he was accused of groping two men in a private club. Pincher’s resignation eventually led to Prime Minister at the time Boris Johnson tendering his own resignation.