Lord Brittan ‘questioned over rape claim’

Lord Brittan, 74, is understood to have been interviewed under caution last month after a woman claimed she was raped in London in 1967.

The Conservative peer, who served as Home Secretary under Margaret Thatcher’s government, was not arrested.

Lord Brittan is thought to strongly deny the allegation. His lawyers could not be reached for comment.

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “In late 2012, a woman alleged to the Metropolitan Police Service that she was raped by a man in 1967 at an address in London.

“The woman was over the age of 18 at the time of the incident.

“The allegation is being investigated by officers from the Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command.

“In June 2014, a man aged in his 70s was interviewed under caution by appointment at a central London location in connection with the allegation. Inquiries continue.”

Last week the Conservative peer was forced to defend his handling of the 1980s dossier by the late MP Geoffrey Dickens alleging paedophile activity in Westminster.

Only last year, a review – carried out for the Home Office by a HM Customs and Revenue investigator – concluded that the relevant information in the file had been passed to the police and the rest of the material destroyed in line with departmental policy at the time.

Elected as MP for Cleveland and Whitby in 1974, Lord Brittan changed his seat to Richmond at the 1983 election. In 1995 he became European Commissioner for Trade and European Commissioner for External Affairs, also serving as vice-president of the European Commission.

Four years ago, he was appointed trade adviser to the Government after David Cameron said he had “unrivalled experience”.