‘Finding David’ by-election campaign

By Local Democracy Reporter, Daniel Mumby

A CAMPAIGN is calling for a by-election to remove local MP, David Warburton, saying he is an ‘ineffective MP’. 

David Warburton has represented the Somerton and Frome constituency for the Conservative Party since 2015 but he was suspended from the party in April this year following allegations of sexual harassment and cocaine use (which he strongly denies), and has received treatment at a psychiatric hospital. 

Former Frome town councillor, Scott Ward, has now started the ‘Finding David’ campaign, demanding a by-election if David Warburton cannot adequately represent his constituents in the House of Commons. 

Scott Ward said that David Warburton’s performance as a constituency MP had been “long-lamented”, arguing that his consistent voting with his party made him “ineffective” at representing local issues. 

He said, “It’s not the intention of this campaign to comment on the current status of Mr. Warburton’s mental health; that is an issue for him, his family and any medical professionals involved with his care. 

“We are purely focusing on Mr Warburton’s performance as an MP while representing the constituency of Somerton and Frome, and the current allegations made against him – which, if true, fall way below the standard we expect from our MP. 

“Residents of the towns and villages that Mr Warburton represents deserve an MP that will be present, contactable, and not willing to be shackled by his Party leader. 

“While we know that Mr Warburton is currently classified as an independent, he seems eager to re-join the Conservatives, which would indicate that he is not likely to stand up for his constituents against government policy in the future.” 

He said, “We are calling on Mr Warburton to resign as MP for Somerton and Frome to allow a by-election within the constituency. 

“This will allow voters to choose a new MP who will truly put the people of Somerton and Frome before Party politics, and be a true representative within parliament.” 

The Liberal Democrats – who held the seat between 1992 and 2015 – have already selected local councillor, Sarah Dyke, as their candidate for any potential by-election. 

Following their seismic victory in the Tiverton and Honiton by-election in June, Party officials have said they are confident of achieving a similar upset in one of the safest Tory seats in the country. 

Speaking in June, cllr Dyke said, “The people of Somerton and Frome have been without a voice in parliament now for almost six months. 

“As the cost-of-living crisis bites, we need a strong voice in Westminster that will stand up for local communities.” 

Since June 2021, David Warburton has been officially under investigation by the independent parliamentary standards commissioner over alleged breaches of the MPs’ code of conduct. 

In response, David Warburton’s office said, “Due to confidentiality rules, David is prevented from commenting until the results of the investigation are in the public domain. However, David looks forward to sharing the material facts of the matter with his constituents as soon as he is able.”