The coroner has rejected a request by the parents of Elliott Johnson to consider wider allegations of bullying by Tory party members during the inquest into his suicide. The wider allegations were described by the coroner as “very remote to the death of the deceased”. He is satisfied that “no criminal offences have been committed, against Elliott Johnson”.

“In my judgment I do not consider at this stage that it is necessary to call either Mr Walker or Mr Clarke. The allegation against them is a blunt one of bullying and betrayal. It is difficult to see that, beyond the assertions made by the Deceased in his letter, what these potential witnesses could add to the inquest, save for to deny any bullying…

I emphasise again that an inquest is not a trial. The purpose is not to determine whether the allegations of bullying set out in the letters left by Mr. Johnson were true and I will not allow the inquest to be used as a tool for putting anyone on trial. The purpose of an inquest is not to identify individual fault on the part of those involved. In deed it is expressly not concerned with apportioning blame or determining questions of fault”

A major development…