Tragedy: Elliott Johnson, 21, killed himself by lying on train tracks
The Conservatives will escape an investigation into wider bullying claims surrounding the suicide of a party activist who complained of intimidation, a coroner ruled yesterday.
‘Tatler Tory’ Mark Clarke, a senior election aide sacked from the party over the scandal, also looks set to avoid having to give evidence at the inquest into Elliott Johnson’s death, despite being accused of targeting him in a suicide note.
Elliott’s parents had urged the coroner to examine allegations of ‘systemic’ bullying within the Tory party, claiming their son took his own life last September after suffering ‘inhuman and degrading’ treatment by Clarke and his associates.
But Coroner Tom Osborne turned down the request, saying: ‘I will not allow the inquest to be used as a tool for putting anyone on trial’.
He said he did not expect to call Mr Clarke or his ally and Elliott’s lover, Andre Walker, who was also named in the suicide note.
Mr Osborne said: ‘The allegation against them is a blunt one of bullying and betrayal. It is difficult to see that, beyond the assertions made by [Elliott] in his letter, what these potential witnesses could add to the inquest, save for to deny any bullying.’
He added: ‘It would clearly be going beyond the proper scope of this inquest to be calling members of the Conservative Party to inquire into what steps or measures they are taking to investigate the bullying allegations by a party member towards another party member.’
A few weeks before taking his life on railway tracks at Sandy, Bedfordshire, Elliott had complained about Mr Clarke’s alleged threats to his immediate boss at Conservative Way Forward, a campaign group.
His colleague passed the complaint on to Conservative Campaign Headquarters, the nerve centre of the party.
Face-to-face: Ray and Alison Johnson, parents of Tory activist Elliott Johnson who killed himself last year, came face-to-face with Andre Walker, who Elliott named in his suicide note as betraying him
Elliott killed himself on a railway line in September, leaving a suicide note accusing senior election aide Mark Clarke, 38, of bullying him (pictured together in October 2014)
But a few days later he was told the CWF was considering making his full time position redundant, a move his family’s lawyers have argued was a ‘retaliatory action’ linked to his bullying complaint.
Mr Osborne said the inquest will consider Elliott’s complaint letter about Mr Clarke and the decision by CWF to make him redundant soon afterwards.
As part of this, the coroner said he would hear evidence from Paul Abbott, a Conservative campaigner and former chief executive of CWF, although it is not clear if he will have to attend in person or give a statement.
Elliott’s father, Ray, from Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, expressed surprise at the decision not to call Mr Clarke or Mr Walker.
‘He says they would simply deny the bullying – I am not sure why he says that.’ But he added: ‘It’s good the coroner recognises the link between the dismissal and Mark Clarke. This is a really important step forward for the family.’
The tragic last message written by Elliot Johnson to his parents before killing himself
Upset: A tearful Alison Johnson and husband Ray Johnson leave the Bedfordshire inquest this afternoon
Denial: Mr Walker, who is understood to have been in a relationship with Elliott, says he did not betray him
At a pre inquest review this week, Heather Williams QC for Elliott’s family had said his death was an indication of a wider systemic picture’ of bullying in the party.
But a lawyer for CWF had argued if the scope of the inquest was expanded it would have to include a reference to ‘Elliott’s mental health and his sexuality’.
This is believed to have included a previous suicide attempt by Elliott when he was 18 at around the time he came out as gay.
Speaking after the coroner’s ruling, Mr Walker said he had hoped the inquest would have explored other issues which affected his death.
He said: ‘I’m disappointed the motion to extend the inquest has been declined. It would have given us an opportunity to look at the allegations of homophobic discrimination in much more detail.’
Mr Clarke, a former Conservative parliamentary candidate who once appeared in a Tatler photo shoot and was tipped as a future minister by the magazine, was expelled from the party after an investigation following Elliott’s death. He has denied all the bullying allegations.
The Tory party has started its own inquiry into Elliott’s death and the bullying claims that is being conducted by law firm Clifford Chance.
BOYFRIEND WHO 'BETRAYED' CONSERVATIVE ACTIVIST ELLIOTT JOHNSON
Days before Elliott Johnson's suicide, Andre Walker (pictured) was secretly recorded in a meeting lambasting him for making a complaint about 'Tatler Tory' Mark Clarke
A Tory activist who Elliott Johnson claimed had 'betrayed' him in a suicide note has revealed they were in a romantic relationship until 'the day he died'.
Days before Mr Johnson's suicide, Andre Walker was secretly recorded in a meeting lambasting him for making a complaint about 'Tatler Tory' Mark Clarke.
He called Mr Johnson a 'f****** d*******' and told him he had behaved 'disgracefully'. But the political journalist denied bullying and said the pair were close.
'We hit it off straight away and the relationship started pretty soon after that and it lasted until the day he died, as far as I was concerned,' he said.
'The reason that I have been coy about that is because I know that saying that will upset the family and I'm very sorry about that.'
A friend of Mr Johnson said: 'Elliott absolutely adored [Mr Walker] ... I don't think that was reciprocated. Andre is in his late 30s and Elliott was 21, so young and sensitive.'
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