A FULL investigation has been called for into allegations that West Somerset MP Rachel Gilmour launched ‘a foul-mouthed tirade’ during a visit to the Hinkley Point C nuclear power station construction site.

Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg, who is an independent officer of the House of Commons, has received complaints from West Somerset constituents after national newspapers The Telegraph and Daily Express and broadcaster the BBC reported on Mrs Gilmour’s conduct.

They reported witnesses who said Ms Gilmour was verbally abusive to a security guard after presenting an expired driving licence as her ID, and used swear words to belittle a staff video and a local worker.

The Civil Nuclear Constabulary then had to stop Mrs Gilmour from driving her vehicle out of the site and arranged alternative transport because of the expired licence.

Exmoor farmer and Conservative campaigner James Wright said there now needed to be a proper inquiry into the conduct of Mrs Gilmour, who was elected as a Liberal Democrat MP in last year’s General Election.

Mr Wright said: “If even part of this is true, it represents a serious failure of leadership and an appalling way to speak to people working hard to protect the nation’s energy security.”

He said the Liberal Democrat party should suspend Ms Gilmour while the matter was investigated.

Mr Wright said he was aware a number of constituents had made complaints to the standards commissioner.

He said: “Our MP must be held to the same standards of respect, professionalism, and accountability as anybody else in public life.

“This is not about party politics.

“It is about common decency.”

Mrs Gilmour accepted her driving licence had expired shortly before the Hinkley visit, which she attributed to ‘a regrettable oversight’.

But she denied the ‘characterisation’ of the visit and reports of the ‘language used’.