Politics

NI21 leader Basil McCrea cleared over misconduct claims

NI21 leader Basil McCrea
NI21 leader Basil McCrea NI21 leader Basil McCrea

Lagan Valley MLA Basil McCrea has been cleared of complaints of misconduct following an investigation by the Assembly Standards Commissioner.

Mr McCrea faced 12 complaints ranging from sexual misconduct to misspending expenses, many made by his former party colleague John McAllister.

However, Standards Commissioner Douglas Bain found that Mr McCrea was not guilty of any wrongdoing.

In an accompanying report, MLA's on Stomront's standards committee said Mr McCrea was not entirely beyond criticism as he had exercised poor judgement in allowing young women into his hotel rooms. The MLAs were also critical of how he spoke to his staff on occasions.

Mr McCrea has said the report exonerates him and had called for sections which were redacted to be released to the public.

In a separate development, police have confirmed that a file has now been sent to the Public Prosecution Service following a separate matter involving Mr McCallister.

When NI21 was launched by former Ulster Unionists Mr McCrea and Mr McCallister in the summer of 2013 it was seen as a potential new force in Northern Irish politics.

However, in the wake of the controversial allegations against Mr McCrea the party lost key personnel with a split in the relationship between its two founding members who had set up NI21 after they left the Ulster Unionist Party in 2013.