Nigel Evans should continue as deputy speaker, says Andrew Mitchell Nigel Evans giving a statement outside his home in Pendleton, Lancashire. Photograph: Owen Humphreys/PA Andrew Mitchell, the former cabinet minister, has come to the defence of deputy speaker Nigel Evans, saying he does not believe the accusations of rape against him and does not think the Ribble Valley MP should be forced to resign. Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: "Nigel Evans has been a friend and colleague of mine for more than 20 years. I have known him in good times and bad times, and I simply do not believe these allegations against him. Mitchell said Evans "should definitely continue the role as deputy speaker," pointing out that there were three deputy speakers and "if necessary there can be a degree of burden-sharing" . He said: "If he were to resign now we would be in a terrible position where potentially every public office-holder could be open to blackmail and false stories in the media, triggering their resignation. He has not been charged and he has not been found guilty and we do still live in a country where you are presumed innocent until found guilty. Mitchell refused to countenance the prospect of Evans being charged but did acknowledge that that would be a different situation. Chris Huhne, the former energy secretary, resigned from the cabinet only after he was charged, and he then left parliament after being found guilty of lying over asking his wife to take penalty points for a speeding office, Although the accusation of rape is more serious, there seems to be an attempt to keep Evans in office. David Davis, the former shadow home secretary, has also warned that allowing the habit to develop where people stand down on the basis of allegation may increase the possibility of blackmail. The defence secretary, Philip Hammond, was more ambivalent on Sunday when he appeared on The Andrew Marr Show. Evans has emphatically denied the allegations. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, he said: "The allegations are completely false and I can't understand why they have been made." The Speaker's office is likely to be trying to find out details of the charges and circumstances. Some of Mitchell's reaction will be born of his friendship with Evans but also his own experience when he felt forced to resign over allegations that he had called police at the Downing Street gates plebs. Subsequently there has been a police investigation into whether there was a conspiracy to frame Mitchell. He is taking action civil action against the police and feels his political career was prematurely cut short, He is waiting to find out the outcome of the case before deciding how his political career should continue. The decision to defend Evans in such a forthright way is likely to be seen as a risk if Evans is charged, but if the police drop the case, his loyalty and public defence of a colleague is also likely to be remembered by fellow MPs.