Back in October 2023, then-MP Peter Bone was suspended from the House of Commons for 6 weeks following accusations of bullying and misconduct. A report published by the MPs’ behaviour watchdog found he had indecently exposed himself to a colleague while the pair were on an overseas trip. The report also detailed five allegations of bullying, including physically hitting the same colleague. Bone denied the claims at the time and he continues to defend his innocence to this day, stating that the allegations are ‘totally untrue and without foundation’.
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However, because he was suspended for more than 10 days, a recall petition was launched in Wellingborough, his constituency. Bone had represented the Northamptonshire seat since 2005, but he was stripped of the party whip in October 2023. A by-election was confirmed in December after over 10,000 of his constituents signed a recall petition on his future. Now, people are shocked to discover that Peter Bone’s girlfriend is the Tory candidate for the position he has just vacated.
Who is Helen Harrison?
In 2018, Bone confirmed his split from Jenny, his wife of 37 years, after his affair was made public by The Sun. Having become known for mentioning Jenny in Parliament, it came out that Bone had in fact been seeing Harrison on the side - entertaining her in his taxpayer-funded apartment in Westminster. When asked about the affair at the time, Bone said:
My wife and I have been living apart for more than two years, during which time I have formed a relationship with Helen Harrison.
According to the Telegraph:
Ms Harrison, 51, is a physiotherapist who currently serves as a Tory councillor in North Northamptonshire.
She is 20 years Bone’s junior, and she was ‘among the directors of Grassroots Out, a Brexit pressure group co-founded by her partner months before the European Union referendum’.
Reactions to the news
Richard Holden, the Conservative Party chairman, posted an announcement on X after attending the meeting for Harrison’s selection on Sunday 7 January. He wrote on X:
Congratulations to Cllr Helen Harrison on being selected for Wellingborough at a packed meeting of Conservative members.
People have been quick to reference The Sunday Times, who reported in November that Bone had given Prime Minister Rishi Sunak an ultimatum. He allegedly threatened to stand as an independent in any by-election unless Harrison was included on the Tory candidate shortlist. He supposedly offered to resign as MP straight away, allowing for a by-election by Christmas, as long as her name was on the list.
Bone has, once again, denied these claims. He did say that it would be ‘entirely unsurprising’ if Harrison did make it onto the list though; considering she had already featured on other candidate lists.
The opposition is obviously having a field day with the news of her selection. Steve McCabe, the Labour MP for Birmingham Selly Oak, quipped:
Nothing like a fresh start.
However, Harrison seems ready for the challenge. She has said she is ‘delighted’ to have been put forward:
As the local candidate, I am best suited to deliver for the people of Wellingborough, having already done so on a local authority level.
A date is yet to be set for the upcoming poll, and Bone has not confirmed whether he will be running as an independent candidate or not.
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Sources used:
BBC: Conservatives pick Peter Bone's partner as candidate for his old seat
The Telegraph: Peter Bone's girlfriend to fight in by-election to replace him
The Sun: MP BONE'S SECRET LOVER Married Conservative MP Peter Bone leaves his wife for married physio 20 years his junior — and spends romantic nights with her in taxpayer-funded £1.5m flat
