Mel B challenges sacked Tory minister over ‘what you said to me in lift’

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Mel B has made an apparent criticism of sacked Tory minister Conor Burns’s behaviour during a conversation with her at the Conservative party conference.

Burns was asked to step down from his role as a minister of state in the trade department and had the Conservative whip withdrawn pending an investigation into an allegation of “serious misconduct” on Friday, Downing Street said.

A spokesperson added: “The prime minister took direct action on being informed of this allegation and is clear that all ministers should maintain high standards of behaviour – as the public rightly expects.”

Burns later vowed to “clear his name” following an allegation of serious misconduct, saying he would “fully cooperate with the party’s inquiry”.

He added: “I hope the party will be as quick to conduct their inquiry as they were to rush to judgment.”

The former Spice Girl Mel B, who attended the Conservative party conference as a domestic violence campaigner, wrote in reply: “Really?? Your shocked about this complaint??? Let me remind you what you said me in lift …” She did not clarify any further.

The singer, whose real name is Melanie Brown, addressed an event at the conference, warning that domestic abuse could slip down the agenda during “these times of absolute economic chaos”.

The meeting was organised by the Sun and Women’s Aid, a charity of which Brown became a patron in 2018 after leaving what she described as an abusive relationship.

“We need to reform everything, the courts, the police, even GPs, even people in your work environment, HR, you need to have a safe place where you can go without any shame and know the warning signs,” said Brown, who was awarded an MBE for services to charitable causes and vulnerable women.

Brown and Burns did not immediately respond to the Guardian’s requests for comment.

Burns’s full statement, made on Friday, reads: “Earlier I received a call from the chief whip Wendy Morton. Ms Morton informed me that a complaint had been received about me and she had passed it to Conservative campaign headquarters to investigate.

“I was not given any information about the complaint nor was I asked to provide any information. On the basis of this complaint Ms Morton told me that the whip was being withdrawn and that I was standing down as trade minister. I will fully cooperate with the party’s inquiry and look forward to clearing my name. I hope the party will be as quick to conduct their inquiry as they were to rush to judgment.”