A Tory rising star who has rubbed shoulders with Rishi Sunak has been filmed offering “fun flour” to a guest on a signed framed photograph of a grinning David Cameron.
Philip Stephenson-Oliver – chair of the powerful Westminster North Conservative Association – then watches as a pal appears to use a banknote to snort what is claimed to be cocaine in his bedroom at a house party on July 14.
Moments later he was seen doing the same thing himself.
Now Stephenson-Oliver, 29 has been suspended by furious Conservative Party bosses, leaving his dream of becoming an MP in tatters.
Only hours before the video was shot he had been with London Mayor candidate Susan Hall at an event organised by his Tory Association.
He proudly posed for a picture with her to add to his album of snaps with the likes of Mr Sunak, Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden and former Health Secretary Matt Hancock.
Stephenson-Oliver’s hopes of moving up the Party ladder were boosted last year when was selected as a Conservative candidate for Westminster Council, only narrowly missing out on a seat.
But now those hopes have been dashed by the impromptu party with pals at his home in one of most upmarket areas of West London.
A witness claims he produced “cocaine” from a bedside drawer and asked pub quiz questions to decide whose turn it was to snort.
One question is said to have referred to a scandalous claim in a biography of his PM hero, supposedly asking: “What animal did David Cameron f***?” A friend is said to have shouted in reply: “A f****** pig, come on Phil I thought you’d make it difficult this time.”
Footage shows Stephenson-Oliver hunched over, gripping the Cameron picture. Then he lowers it before getting to his feet having apparently laid a line of the substance.
A photograph of the framed Cameron picture also shows remnants of white powder, a rolled up note and a bank card clearly displaying Stephenson-Oliver’s full name. The witness said: “Philip was sitting on the bed with his signed picture of David Cameron, a 10 dollar bill, and his card. He pulled out a small black zip lock bag from his nightstand and emptied out powder onto it. He began cutting it with his card when someone else came in and said, ‘God is that David Cameron?’”
Our witness said that shortly afterwards they declined a line, prompting Stephenson-Oliver to quip: “God, alright then, more fun flour for me’, before snorting again.
Stephenson-Oliver is now not only in hot water with his party, but also with military chiefs. His post as a reservist in the Army’s Honourable Artillery Company seems certain to be axed. In September, he proudly posted a Facebook snap of himself in uniform at his passing out parade.
On October 24, the day before Mr Sunak became PM, Stephenson-Oliver uploaded a picture to Facebook of him posing with the politician, adding: “This photo has aged well.” Two months earlier, Stephenson-Oliver was pictured close to Mr Sunak at a Westminster North Association event. Away from politics, he runs a wine company.
Last year the Government released a drugs policy paper in which the then prime minister Boris Johnson wrote: “We cannot allow the impression to be given that occasional drug use is acceptable. It isn’t.
“So there will be new penalties for drug users. Because drugs cause crime and crime ruins innocent lives.” The maximum penalty for cocaine possession is seven years. Supplying the drug – even with no money changing hands – risks an even heftier sentence.
The British Army’s website says “substance misuse is incompatible with Army life, and it will never be tolerated”. The Ministry of Defence declined to comment.
A Conservative Party spokesperson confirmed: “Mr Stephenson-Oliver has been suspended pending investigation.” Stephenson-Oliver said: “This was a private gathering in my home. A few seconds of video footage filmed illicitly by someone I thought was a friend is both disappointing and potentially an invasion of my privacy and the privacy of others. I certainly challenge the very questionable testimony and actions that night from the person that the newspaper relies on for this story.
“However, I do apologise for any embarrassment that these covert and out of context images might bring to others.”