Nigel Evans: Minister prepared to speak to police about sexual assault allegation A spokesman for Mr McLoughlin yesterday told The Daily Telegraph that he will "co-operate in full" with any police inquiries. Brian Paddick, a former Deputy Assistant Commissioner at the Metropolitan Police, said Mr McLoughlin is likely to be an "important" witness. He said: "I am sure they will be speaking to him and others in the Conservative Party. The police will want to ensure rightly that they do a proper investigation. Mr Evans spoke on Sunday of his "incredulity" at his arrest over the allegation of sexual assault and another of rape between July and March 2013, both of which he strongly denies. The MP said he could not understand why complaints had been made to police by "two people who are well known to each other and until yesterday I regarded as friends." During the press conference he appeared to have a bruise on his forehead which he attempted to disguise with make up. The MP said that the bruise appeared on Thursday, the day before his arrest, after a reiki massage in London's Chinatown. He said decided on the massage because he was suffering from a migraine, but said that at the end the masseur dug his fingers into his forehead leaving a "painful" bruise. Andrew Mitchell, the former chief whip who quit cabinet last year after disputed claims that he called police officers "plebs,"yesterday urged Mr Evans not to stand down. Mr Mitchell said it would set a "terrible" precedent, and Mr Evans has said he intends to carry on as Deputy Speaker while police continue their investigation. However, the speaker John Bercow has agreed that he be excused his duties chairing the week-long debate on the Queen's Speech, which begins on Wednesday. Mr Mitchell told BBC Radio 4's Today: "If he were to resign now we would be in a terrible position where every public office holder would be open to blackmail and false stories in the media, triggering their resignation."