Former Conservative MP David Warburton found dead in London flat at 59
Metropolitan Police say death in Chelsea is 'unexpected but not suspicious' as colleagues recall his service to Somerset
David Warburton, a former Conservative Member of Parliament who quit politics amid allegations of sexual misconduct and later resigned after admitting to taking cocaine, was found dead in a London flat on 26 August. He was 59.
Metropolitan Police said paramedics discovered a man in his 50s at an address in Chelsea, west London. Officers are treating the death as "unexpected but not suspicious," the force added.
Warburton represented the Somerton and Frome constituency in Somerset until June 2023. He was suspended by the Conservative Party in April 2022 after claims of sexual misconduct were made against him, which he denied. Those allegations were later withdrawn and an investigation by the House of Commons Independent Expert Panel was closed.
He resigned from Parliament in June 2023 after admitting to taking cocaine, a development that ended his active role in national politics. The circumstances surrounding his resignation and the earlier misconduct claims drew extensive public and media attention at the time.
Marcus Fysh, a former Conservative MP for Yeovil in neighbouring Somerset, said he was saddened by the news and paid tribute to Warburton's work for his constituents. "I am so very sad to hear this news and my thoughts are with David's family and friends," Fysh said. "David was a talented and sensitive person with a great flair for words and passion for his constituents."
Warburton's political career, which included representing a rural Somerset constituency, had been marked in recent years by controversy and formal inquiries. Officials have not disclosed further details about the cause of death. Police and emergency services attended the Chelsea address after the report of an unwell man; detectives said enquiries were ongoing but that there were no suspicious circumstances.
The death will likely prompt questions among constituents and within the Conservative Party about Warburton's final months out of office and the events that led to his resignation. Parliamentary records show the Independent Expert Panel is the body that considers complaints about behaviour by MPs and can recommend sanctions; in Warburton's case its inquiry was closed once the allegations were withdrawn.
No family statement had been released publicly at the time of the police announcement. The Metropolitan Police asked anyone with information about the incident to contact them through the appropriate channels for further enquiries.