Dan Norris, a Labour Member of Parliament and the Mayor of the West of England, has been arrested on suspicion of sexual offences and rape. Following his arrest, the Labour Party suspended Norris, who represents North East Somerset and Hanham, on Saturday.
Avon and Somerset Police reported that a man in his 60s was arrested on Friday and has since been released on conditional bail. The police released a statement saying that in December 2024, they received a referral from another police force concerning alleged historical child sexual offences against a girl. Most of these alleged offences are said to have occurred in the 2000s, with an additional alleged rape offence from the 2020s being investigated.
The investigation is being conducted by the force’s rape and serious sexual assault investigation team and remains “at an early stage.” The Press Association reported that the police have stated the victim is receiving support and access to any necessary specialist services.
According to a Labour spokesperson, Norris was immediately suspended upon the party being notified of his arrest. The party has refrained from providing further comments due to the ongoing police investigation. It has been reported by individuals familiar with the situation that Norris has lost the parliamentary whip.
Norris first entered the House of Commons as the MP for Wansdyke, Somerset, in 1997, serving for 13 years until he lost his seat in 2010. During Gordon Brown’s premiership, he was appointed as the rural affairs minister. In 2021, Norris was elected as the Mayor of the West of England, and in July of the previous year, he returned to Parliament representing a redrawn Somerset constituency.
The news of Norris’s arrest was initially reported by The Sun on Sunday. As of this report, Norris has not responded to requests for comment.
