Keir Starmer rocked as Labour MP is held in rape and child abuse probe - as neighbours tell of police raid on home

Sir Keir Starmer was contiguous rocked by the apprehension of 1 of his MPs connected suspicion of rape and kid enactment offences.

Dan Norris, a former Labour curate who ousted Jacob Rees-Mogg arsenic the MP for North East Somerset and Hanham astatine past year's General Election, was taken into custody aft constabulary raided his constituency location connected Friday.

Officers were aboriginal seen removing boxes of Mr Norris's belongings from the property.

Mr Norris, who trained arsenic a kid extortion serviceman with the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) and has worked arsenic a teacher, was suspended from the enactment pending the investigation.

Most of the alleged offences day backmost astir 20 years, though the rape assertion is understood to beryllium much recent. 

On Saturday afternoon, 1 of Mr Norris's neighbours confirmed that determination had been aggravated constabulary enactment astatine the house, acceptable successful a quiescent lane amid rolling farmland, betwixt midday and 6pm connected Friday.

The neighbour told The Mail On Sunday: 'Six unmarked cars arrived. They parked connected our onshore blocking our thrust and I had to spell retired to inquire them to move.

'I asked who they were, and they confirmed they were constabulary officers. They were astatine his location for respective hours but I didn't spot what they took away.'

Another neighbour added: 'We've ever recovered Dan lovely. He ever smiles and says hullo if you conscionable him successful the lane.'

Mr Norris, 65, is besides Metro Mayor for the West of England – a station helium is owed to relinquish astatine adjacent month's section elections owed to the Government's 2nd occupation rules imposed connected MPs.

Following his arrest, it is apt that the Commons authorities volition prohibition Mr Norris from the Parliamentary property for the duration of the investigation.

It is different headache for Sir Keir, who would not relish a by-election successful North East Somerset fixed Mr Norris's comparatively slim bulk of 5,319.

Mr Rees-Mogg, who is understood to entertain hopes of returning to the Commons, believes helium would person held the spot if the Reform Party, which secured 7,424 votes, had not fielded a campaigner against him. He called for a 'coalition' with Reform successful the run-up to the election.

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police said: 'In December 2024, we received a referral from different constabulary unit relating to alleged non-recent kid enactment offences having been committed against a girl.

'Most of the offences are alleged to person occurred successful the 2000s, but we're besides investigating an alleged offence of rape from the 2020s.

'An investigation, led by officers wrong Operation Bluestone, our dedicated rape and superior intersexual battle probe team, remains ongoing and astatine an aboriginal stage. The unfortunate is being supported and fixed entree to immoderate specializer assistance oregon enactment she needs.

'A man, successful his sixties, was arrested connected Friday connected suspicion of intersexual offences against a miss (under the Sexual Offences Act 1956), rape (under the Sexual Offences Act 2003), kid abduction and misconduct successful a nationalist office. He has been released connected conditional bail for inquiries to continue.

'This is an progressive and delicate investigation, truthful we'd respectfully inquire radical not to speculate connected the circumstances truthful that our inquiries tin proceed unhindered.' 

Labour Party spokesperson said: 'Dan Norris MP was instantly suspended by the Labour Party upon being informed of his arrest. We cannot remark further portion the constabulary probe is ongoing.'

Mr Norris was archetypal elected successful the past Wansdyke constituency erstwhile Tony Blair swept to powerfulness successful 1997. He was an situation and agrarian affairs curate nether Gordon Brown.

Once a keen Blairite, helium has much precocious described himself arsenic being connected the near of the Labour Party, adding: 'Not the acold left, but the left.' He mislaid his spot erstwhile David Cameron entered No10 successful 2010 but returned to Parliament during past year's Labour landslide, ousting Mr Rees-Mogg successful 1 of the astir melodramatic moments of the wide election.

A passionate carnal payment campaigner, Mr Norris was until contiguous the president of the League Against Cruel Sports since 2022 and had urged Sir Keir's Government to clamp down connected what helium claims is 'ongoing amerciable fox hunting'.

In his illustration connected the League's website, helium describes however 'generations to travel volition look backmost astatine the cruelty we presently inflict and justice it arsenic a stain successful history'.

The illustration adds: 'I'm a lifelong carnal payment advocator and 1 of my proudest achievements was calling for, and voting through, the hunting prohibition arsenic an MP nether the erstwhile Labour authorities and aboriginal serving arsenic an Environment and Rural Affairs Minister.' 

But contiguous the League announced Mr Norris had stepped down from his role.

A spokesperson for the League Against Cruel Sports said: 'We tin corroborate Dan Norris MP has stepped down from his relation arsenic seat of the League Against Cruel Sports, and an interim seat has been appointed from the Board of Trustees.

'The foundation cannot remark further portion an probe is ongoing.'

During his mayoral run successful 2021, Sir Keir visited Bath to run for him – but the brace were asked to permission a pub by its landlord, who opposed the usage of lockdowns during the pandemic.

In a bid to boost nationalist transport, Mr Norris launched escaped autobus question for radical during the period of their birthday.

But helium came nether occurrence aft spending £10,000 of taxpayers' wealth covering a double-decker autobus with 3 pictures of himself and his cocker spaniel Angel.

The animal-loving Blairite MP who managed to oust Jacob Rees-Mogg

by Ryan Hooper 

Blairite MP Dan Norris has spent overmuch of his big beingness successful politics, moving his mode up from section matters to the bosom of cardinal Government.

The 65-year-old's archetypal sensation of powerfulness was arsenic a Bristol metropolis councillor successful the precocious 1980s and 1990s, arsenic good arsenic a little stint connected the past Avon County Council.

The Bristol City supporter, who grew up successful the area, archetypal contested a wide predetermination successful 1987 erstwhile helium stood to beryllium Labour MP for Northavon – but finished 3rd down Tory grandee John Cope successful first, and the Liberal campaigner successful second.

Then successful 1992, helium mislaid the spot of Wansdyke to long-serving Tory incumbent Jack Aspinwall. But animal-loving Mr Norris was not to beryllium defeated and yet got the amended of the Tory seasoned successful 1997 arsenic Tony Blair's New Labour swept to power.

In doing so, Mr Norris marked 1 of a fewer reddish spots connected an different traditionally Tory landscape.

He was handed briefs successful the Treasury arsenic adjunct whip and – successful a motion to his agrarian upbringing – arsenic Defra minister.

He held the spot until 2010, when, successful different alteration of Government, the constituency, redrawn by the Boundary Commission, was won by Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg. With Labour retired of powerfulness – and Mr Norris retired of Parliament – helium returned to determination politics.

He was elected Metro Mayor of the West of England successful 2021, a presumption helium has held alongside being an MP aft helium defeated his aged foe Sir Jacob to triumph backmost the spot of North East Somerset and Hanham past year.

He is president of the committee of trustees for the League Against Cruel Sports, and has described himself arsenic a 'life-long carnal payment advocate'.

The erstwhile kid extortion officer, who trained with the NSPCC, has besides spoken successful Parliament astir his passionateness for looking aft animals. Just this week, successful an adjournment statement astir way hunting, Mr Norris said it was not a 'peaceful activity' but was 'designed to get astir the existent legislation'.

His Register of Interests shows that helium has received donations from a fig of groups and individuals, including £20,000 successful June past twelvemonth from Ecotricity, the greenish vigor steadfast founded by Dale Vince.

He enjoys photography and states his 'favourite happening to bash is spell connected agelong walks crossed the beauteous West of England with my cocker spaniel Angel'. Indeed the beloved favored features connected respective of the MP's societal media posts.