Deputy speaker Nigel Evans re-arrested

A general view of the chamber in the House of Commons. Picture: PA

Mr Evans was initially arrested in May on suspicion of rape and sexual assault said to have happened in Pendleton between July 2009 and March 2013. He was re-arrested in June over a further three counts of indecent assault which are alleged to have happened in Blackpool and London between 2003 and 2011. All of these allegations involve men in their 20s.

He dismissed the original allegations against him as “completely false”, and said they had been made by two people he had “regarded as friends”.

In June he said: “I continue to refute all allegations.”

He has stepped aside from his Speaker duties since his arrest, but has continued to work as a Tory MP.

He was one of three deputy speakers elected in a secret ballot of MPs in 2010. Later that year he came out as gay, saying he was ‘’tired of living a lie’’.

Lancashire Police said: “We take all allegations of a sexual nature extremely seriously and understand how difficult it can be for victims to have the confidence to come forward.

“As a constabulary, we are committed to investigating sexual offences sensitively but robustly, recognising the impact that these types of crimes have on victims.

“We would encourage anyone who has experienced sexual abuse, or who has information about it, to have the confidence to report it to us knowing that we will take it seriously, deal with it sensitively and investigate it thoroughly.”

Mr Evans arrived at Preston police station just before 9am in a silver Jaguar XF driven by his solicitor.

He smiled and said: “Thanks for coming” to members of the press who had gathered outside.

Mr Evans was met inside the station by detectives waiting to question him.