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The father of Elliott Johnson today accused the Tories of “trying to gag” the women who spoke out about alleged bullying at the hands of Lucy Allan MP.

Ray Johnson, whose son committed suicide after claiming he was threatened by ‘Tatler Tory’ Mark Clarke, said messages sent to the women show the party wants to “cover up” bullying.

It comes after the Standard exposed calls made by Allan to Arianne Plumbly, in which the MP describes her young staffer’s sick leave as “pathetic”, told her she had “pissed all over my life” and even accused her of having an “alcohol problem”.

Both Ms Plumbly and Katie Woodland, another former staffer whose claims shone a light on Allan’s behaviour, received calls warning them against speaking out.

Ms Woodland has now also received a letter from her Conservative association, telling her she faces enforcement action - she claimed today it would put off other whistleblowers coming forward.

Listen to the answerphone messages left by Lucy Allan

Mr Johnson said: “It is further evidence that the Conservatives have no interest in getting to the truth of the bullying scandal, they want to cover it up.

What Lucy Allan MP said to her staffer Arianne Plumbly “Listen — if you think you’re going to be clever Arianne you are going to come off worse. Please believe me. If you think you are going to be clever you are going to come off worse.” “I’m advising you to work as normal or resign. We all know you’re not ill. We’ve seen a pattern of it. You’ve taken three days off once a month for four months.” “You don’t not turn up for nausea. What planet are you on. I’m sorry, “gum disappointments” or whatever you say — you just don’t not turn up for that.” “By the way, if you think you can go to some sort of tribunal — you’ve got to think about your benefits here Arianne.” “I actually have a life too, okay? And you have pissed, pissed around on my life. You’ve made it incredibly difficult.” After hearing that Ms Plumbly was signed off sick for four weeks, Allan says: “Right. I’m not paying you for that then. It’s ridiculous. It’s absolutely ridiculous. Who do you think you are? You are on a temporary contract. You are not protected by the law. You do not have 12 months service. What are you playing at? “If you sign yourself off sick for four months the only option will be to dismiss you.” Message left by Lucy Allan on Arianne Plumbly’s answerphone: “Arianne, please call me. If you want to, if you want to get paid notice pay, you will need to call me today. And I’m going to keep ringing you. “And I also want to know where the second computer is, because we appear to have a theft from the office. So can you please call me. Thank you. “I have to say your conduct is very odd, indeed. Just not turning up day after day, without even speaking to me. I think you must have known. “You can’t, can’t possibly have assumed that was reasonable conduct. But, yeah, go on. Call me today. Let’s see if you can manage that. Ok? “Because we are going to have to have this conversation. And yeah, I’m really angry that you’ve left me in the lurch without bothering to pick up the phone. “You’ve been nauseous day after day. I don’t know you’re, if this is some sort of alcohol problem or what ever it is, but it’s not a very good excuse because actually it was a cough. A cough that went nauseous.” Ms Plumbly says she notified Allan of sick days via text, which was an agreed method. She strongly denies any allegation of theft and says she does not drink.

“The girls’ evidence is in the public interest, instead they appear to be trying to gag them.”

He added: “This girl [Arianne] was signed off by her doctor.

"You can’t have an MP yelling at her like that.

"It’s horrendous.”

Both Ms Woodland and Ms Plumbly received voice messages from Allan before the Standard went to print this week, telling them confidentiality agreements would “be enforced”.

Ms Woodland also received a letter from Telford Conservative Association last night telling her “your confidentiality agreement will be enforced”.

The 32-year-old daughter of an RAF veteran who runs her own Telford business, said today: “I was really disappointed to find out that when given the opportunity to investigate something which is quite serious - first it was ineffectively dealt with, and now they are trying to stop us speaking out.

“It is difficult enough having the courage to talk out about things like this, you think no one will believe you.

“Neither Arianne, nor I could let someone else go through what we did, and the party should be grateful there are whistleblowers and I hope others are able to draw some strength from this situation.”

Both women have said complaints they made to the Conservatives were not dealt with effectively.

Ms Plumbly, 26, first became involved with Allan’s campaign as a volunteer before the general election in September 2014, but eventually joined her staff.

In calls heard by the Standard, Allan speaks in a child-like voice, apparently mocking her staff member.

The MP can be heard saying: “I actually have a life too, ok? And you have pissed, pissed around on my life. You’ve made it incredibly difficult.”

After calling her a “silly girl” she launches into a rant on hearing Ms Plumbly has been signed off, adding that her “only option will be to dismiss you.”

Both Ms Plumbly and Ms Woodland also called on the MP to resign today.

Allan and Telford Conservatives did not respond to requests to comment today.

Meanwhile CCHQ declined to offer a further response.

Yesterday a spokesman for the central party said: “As soon as these complaints were made they were dealt with appropriately and sympathetically.”

After Elliott Johnson’s death Mark Clarke found himself at the centre of a string of lurid sex, bullying and blackmail allegations, which he denies.

The party launched an internal investigation, and later handed it over to a law firm after Mr Johnson raised concerns that it would be a “whitewash”.