A former Conservative MP who resigned after facing allegations of sexual misconduct and cocaine use has died at the age of 59. David Warburton was found by police at a flat in west London. He represented the Somerton and Frome constituency in Somerset from 2015 until June 2023.

Scotland Yard said officers were called to Sands End, Fulham, on August 26 where a man in his 50s was found dead. The force said the death is being treated as “unexpected but not suspicious”. The former MP had admitted cocaine use but denied claims of sexual misconduct against him and hit out at a parliamentary probe into the allegations, which had gone on for 14 months at the time of his resignation.

He said he had been denied a fair hearing and left with “no choice” but to provoke “the upheaval of a by-election”, which was won by Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Dyke. The allegations were later withdrawn and a House of Commons probe closed.

Former Tory MP, Marcus Fysh, told the BBC Mr Warburton was a steadfast colleague and defender of Somerset and Britain.

He said: “I am so very sad to hear this news and my thoughts are with David’s family and friends.

“David was a talented and sensitive person with a great flair for words and passion for his constituents.”

Ex-Labour MP Simon Danczuk, who later joined Reform UK, posted on X: “Sad to see that David Warburton, former Conservative MP, has died.

“Cleared by parliament of any wrongdoing, but like most of us wasn’t flawless, he’d just had enough and resigned. With him a few times recently, he was doing really well. God bless him.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said on Monday: “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.”

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called on Tuesday August 26 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.”