Ex-Tory MP David Warburton, who resigned from Parliament last year after a turbulent period in his political career, has died at the age of 59. His body was found in a West London flat on 26 August.
The police have confirmed the fatality, reporting that police were called to a property in Chelsea Crescent, Sands End, by the London Ambulance Service around 11am.
“Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at 10.47hrs on Tuesday, 26 August to an address at Chelsea Crescent, Sands End. A man in his 50s was found dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed. His death is being treated as unexpected but not suspicious.”
London Ambulance Service officials also responded to the incident. “We were called on Tuesday, 26 August at 10.14am to reports of an incident in Chelsea Crescent, Chelsea Harbour, SW10. We sent (an) ambulance crew and a clinician on a bicycle. Sadly, a man was pronounced dead at the scene.”
Controversial Exit from Parliament
Mr Warburton held the Somerton and Frome seat in Somerset from 2015 to June 2023. He quit after being accused of gross misconduct, including drug taking and sexual offences.
Last year, he confessed to using cocaine in a high-profile interview, but strongly denied any accusation of sexual misconduct. The MP condemned the long parliamentary inquiry, which he claimed deprived him of “a fair hearing.”
He stated that he “had no choice” other than to resign, though this was followed by “the inconvenience of a by-election”.
He was replaced by a by-election, which was then captured by Liberal Democrat Sarah Dyke. That seat eventually was abolished as a result of boundary changes which were implemented at the previous general election.
A one-time politician who was pegged to be a Conservative Party sensation, Warburton’s image had exploded in scandal and solitude. His early demise now burdens a page already tainted by political and personal discord.
From Parliament to Public Eye
David Warburton had maintained a generally low profile until 2022, when claims were made and set his political career in a spin. The Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) started to investigate his actions, which lasted more than one year.
Warburton remained in the background mostly after he quit, speaking little publicly. Friends say the pressure had a profound impact on his mental health.
Ongoing Tributes and Reaction
Public tributes have been thin on the ground so far, but former colleagues are now coming forward in response to the news, some of whom are shocked by the abrupt nature of his death.
Scotland Yard stated that although the death is being considered “unexpected,” there are no suspicious circumstances. The body is set to be removed for a post-mortem, as in all fatalities.
While David Warburton’s own political life had come to an end in scandal, news of his early passing has prompted serious questions about the cost of public life. Once a voice in Westminster, he leaves the stage a politician whose reputation is multifaceted and unfinished.
Further news is anticipated as the authorities press on with their inquiries, and tributes start to flow.
