The wife of Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins today said she does not believe claims he rubbed his crotch against a young party activist and sent suggestive texts.
Mr Hopkins, 76, has been accused of sexually assaulting Ava Etemadzadeh, 27, when they met three years ago.
His wife Patricia said he has been left ‘devastated’ by the allegation, which he strongly denies.
Mrs Hopkins, who has been married to the Labour MP for 50 years, vowed to stand by him as the claim is investigated.
Kelvin Hopkins, pictured with his wife Patricia at the election count. The Labour MP has been accused of sexually assaulting a young woman, but his wife said she believes his denial
She told BBC News: ‘I’m upset for Kelvin but I believe him implicitly.’
She added: ‘I’ve been married to him for over 50 years and it’s not going to change. We’ll get through this.’
Ms Etemadzadeh met the Labour MP in 2013, and the following year invited him to speak at Essex University, where she was chairwoman of the campus Labour society.
She told the Telegraph that afterwards: ‘He hugged me… held me too tight and rubbed his crotch on me, which I found revolting.’
He is also alleged to have texted: ‘A nice young man would be lucky to have you as a girlfriend and lover … Were I to be young… but I am not.
‘Always your friend, and if you ever need a friend you have my number… xxx’.
Mr Hopkins was suspended by Labour last week over the allegations and is being investigated over the claim.
Labour MP Kelvin Hopkins (pictured left) has been suspended from the party over allegations of harassment. Ava Etemadzadeh, 27 (pictured right) has said she initially complained to the whips’ office about Mr Hopkins around three years ago
Jeremy Corbyn, pictured in Parliament last week, has faced criticism for promoting Mr Hopkins to his frontbench after the allegation was first reported
But Jeremy Corbyn faced criticism after it emerged the whips office was told about the claim three years ago – but the Labour leader promoted Mr Hopkins after the allegation was reported.
Labour and the Tories have been rocked by a slew of allegations that MPs and party officials have sexually assaulted and acted inappropriately women and men.
Leaders of the main political parties are meeting today after eight Tory MPs and three Labour politicians have been named in the allegations so far.
Labour MP Ivan Lewis has denied sexually harassing a teenage girl, while former shadow minister Clive Lewis denies claims he groped a women at Labour’s party conference in September.
In the Conservative Party, Sir Michael Fallon resigned as Defence Secretary after admitting his behaviour fell short of the high standards expected of the armed forces.
Theresa May’s deputy Damian Green and the trade minister Mark Garnier are both being investigated regarding claims about their sexual behaviour.
Sir Michael Fallon (pictured left last week) sensationally resigned as defence secretary (right with his wife Wendy) amid a growing Westminster harassment scandal
Chris Pincher quit as a party whip and referred himself to the police over claims he made an unwanted sexual pass at a former Olympic rower Alex Story while wearing a bathrobe.
Tory former health minister Dan Poulter, who used to work as a gynaecologist, was accused by fellow Tory Andrew Bridgen of putting his hand up the skirts of three female MPs.
Tory MP Daniel Kawczynski pressured young party researcher to go on a ‘date’ with a wealthy businessman ‘older than her father’ in 2013.
And former Tory whip Charlie Elphicke accused of serious sexual assault, he has been suspended by party pending police inquiry.
Tory ex-Cabinet minister Stephen Crabb sent ‘pretty outrageous’ texts to a 19-year-old who applied for job. Under investigation by Conservative disciplinary panel.