The dinner invite that saved this former Tory MP's life

Harvey Proctor, the former Tory MP, has revealed that he was on the verge of committing suicide after being exposed for hiring gay prostitutes – but was saved by a dinner invitation from Matthew Parris, himself a former Conservative MP.

In an interview with the i paper, Mr Proctor said that the evening before he was planning to plead guilty at his trial for gross indecency in 1987 he was pouring a glass of water to take an overdose of barbiturates when the phone rang.

It was Mr Parris, asking him round to supper. Mr Proctor made an excuse and politely refused. Mr Parris persisted, and eventually Mr Proctor agreed, the evening ending with a morale-raising dinner.

“I have never told Matthew, but that act of kindness on his part saved my life,” said Mr Proctor.

Since saying that, Mr Proctor did tell Mr Parris, who last night told i: “It came as quite a shock. I really had no idea. But I do remember the dinner.

“There was a barrister there who told Harvey very confidently that he would not be sent to prison. He turned out to be entirely correct and I’m pleased he was there.”

As a dutiful Essex MP, first in Basildon between 1979 and 83 and then Billericay between 1983 and 87, Mr Proctor helped provide the ballast on Margaret Thatcher’s back benches. But the red-top press got wind of his sexual preferences and he decided not to run again in the 1987 election.

In recent months he has been linked to further lurid allegations in connection with an alleged paedophile sex ring in Westminster. Mr Proctor, 68, vehemently denies any knowledge of such activities. In March, his home was searched by police investigating historic allegations of child sex abuse. He has not been arrested or charged.

“In the last 28 years I have tried to build up my life again and in 15 hours they have crashed all that I have down again,” he said.

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