Dan Norris was the MP for Wansdyke from 1997 to 2010. In 2021 he was elected as Mayor of the West of England until his arrest in April 2025. In the 2024 GE he defeated the Moggster in North East Somerset and Hanham.
Dan the man has been arrested on suspicion of rape, child sex offences, child abduction and misconduct in public office. Just as well he hasn’t been sending dodgy tweets. At uni he got an MA in social work and worked as a teacher and child protection officer. Perhaps a case of gamekeeper turning poacher.
In Parliament he had an interest in child safety and campaigned against paedophiles in spite of perhaps being one himself. Despite representing a rural area, he was not keen on fox hunting.
Looking at his time as Mayor it appears he was an arrogant bar steward and knew better than everybody else put together. There were also allegations of bullying and harassment.
After his arrest Avon and Somerset Plod stated that most of the offences occurred in the 2000s but there was also an allegation of rape in the 2020s. Very quickly Norris was banned from the Parliamentary Estate pending a risk assessment and he was also banned from the Mayoral HQ in Bristol. He was not suspended as Mayor because there is no provision for that under the West of England’s Combined Authority constitution, there really ought to be then.
In September a petition was started in change (dot) org calling for him to step down as an MP so a by election could be held. It looks like the lure of a salary and very generous expenses are greater than the public good. Dan said he would continue to represent his constituents even though he is barred from the House.
By November he remained on police bail while investigations continued. Don’t expect an early answer because Plod insist this a complex and sensitive case. I wonder if Spanner has been having a word in their shell-likes.
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