David Warburton, the former Conservative MP for Somerton and Frome, has been found dead at his west London flat at the age of 59. The Metropolitan police confirmed they were called by the London Ambulance Service at 10.47am on Tuesday 26 August, and a man in his 50s was pronounced dead at the scene. His death is being treated as unexpected but not suspicious.
Warburton resigned his seat in June 2023 after being suspended by the Conservative Party in April 2022 pending an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and drug use. He admitted taking cocaine after drinking strong Japanese whisky but denied harassment claims. The House of Commons investigation was dropped in July 2023, with Warburton describing the ordeal as 'extraordinarily difficult' for his family.
First elected in 2015 with the largest swing to the Tories in the country, Warburton retained his seat in 2019 with a majority of over 19,000. He gained attention for losing six stone during the first Covid lockdown, which he attributed to using a home gym. Former health secretary Matt Hancock praised his fitness transformation, though some colleagues described it as a 'mid-life crisis'.
Former Labour MP Simon Danczuk expressed condolences on X, noting that Warburton had been 'doing really well' recently. The Liberal Democrats won the subsequent by-election in Somerton and Frome.
