Sacked Conor Burns denies he met Mel B after her cryptic jibe at ‘what he said in lift’

Sacked Conor Burns has denied he met Mel B after the Spice Girls star suggested they had a conversation in a lift.

The MP told the PA news agency “I believe I have never met Mel” after he was removed from government and lost the Tory whip over a “serious misconduct” claim.

It is understood a third party made a complaint to Tory whips about Mr Burns’ behaviour towards a man at the party conference in Birmingham earlier this week.

The BBC reports an eyewitness saw Mr Burns touching a young man’s thigh at a hotel bar.

Mr Burns said he had not been told the nature of the allegations and accused his party of a “rush to judgement”. He said on Friday: “I will fully cooperate with the Party’s enquiry and look forward to clearing my name.”

But Melanie Brown, who was at the Tory conference to campaign for domestic abuse survivors, quote tweeted the MP on Friday night in response to his statement.

She wrote: “Really?? Your shocked about this complaint??? Let me remind you what you said me in lift…..”

That had raised speculation about what was said. So far Mel B has not clarified what she meant, and now Mr Burns has told PA he believes he has not met the singer.

Trade Minister Mr Burns was sacked from government and lost the Tory whip after a complaint of “serious misconduct”.

He was also suspended as a patron of LGBT+ Conservatives, pending the outcome of an investigation into his conduct.

A No10 spokeswoman said: “Following a complaint of serious misconduct, the Prime Minister has asked Conor Burns MP to leave the government with immediate effect.

“The Prime Minister took direct action on being informed of this allegation and is clear that all ministers should maintain the high standards of behaviour – as the public rightly expects.”

The 50-year-old MP for Bournemouth West since 2010 was a fiercely loyal minister under Boris Johnson.

Mr Burns is reported to have learned on Friday that he is in line for a knighthood in Mr Johnson’s resignation honours list.

However, The Times cited a friend as saying the MP already feared his career was “over” as a result of the allegations.