Dover MP Charlie Elphicke has had the Conservative whip withdrawn.

It comes as the Crown Prosecution Service announced he had been charged with three counts of sexual assault against two women.

The charges relate to offences said to have happened in 2007 and 2016 and relate to two women.

A spokesman for the CPS said: "The Crown Prosecution Service has today charged Charles Elphicke, MP for Dover, with three charges of sexual assault against two women.

“The CPS made the decision to charge Mr Elphicke after reviewing a file of evidence from the Metropolitan Police.

“The CPS reminds all concerned that criminal proceedings against Mr Elphicke are now active and that he has a right to a fair trial.

"It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.”

In a statement Elphicke's solicitor Ellen Peart, of law firm BCL Solicitors, said: "Charlie Elphicke has said from the outset that he denies any wrongdoing."

Mr Elphicke’s Constituency Association chairman, Keith Single said: "Throughout the last 20 months since these allegations were first made, Charlie has had our full support.

"That support will continue."

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