A former Labour minister and Jewish Labour Movement chair has been arrested on suspicion of “engaging in sexual communication with a child”.
Ivor Caplin, 66, was released on bail after spending the night in a police cell, with officers launching an investigation into the alleged incident.
The former Veterans Minister under Tony Blair was stopped by a group of activists last Saturday who claimed they had arranged to meet him posing as an “underage boy”.
A video allegedly showed a man who identified himself as Caplin, wearing a black trench coat and a red cap, being held by officers.
A spokesperson for Sussex Police confirmed:”A 66-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of engaging in online sexual communications with a child on 11 January has been released on bail until 10 April while further enquiries are carried out.
“A 40-year-old man who was also arrested on suspicion of engaging in online sexual communications with a child on 11 January has also been released on bail until 11 April.”
Reports suggested a £350,000 apartment in Hove was searched by police officers on Saturday with a number of items allegedly seized as evidence.
Caplin was suspended from the Labour Party last year over undisclosed ‘serious allegations’, which he denies.
He became the new chair of JLM in 2018 when he replaced Jeremy Newmark – who resigned from the post in February that year.
But less than eight months after he took the JLM role, Caplin faced a challenge to his leadership following claims he was failing to take a tough enough stance on behalf of members during meetings with Jeremy Corbyn led Labour leadership.
Caplin was then replaced as JLM chair by Mike Katz.
He was first elected as a MP for Hove in 1997 and represented the constituency until 2005.
In 2001 he became an assistant Government whip, and then a junior defence minister and minister for Veterans at the Ministry of Defence.
Caplin is due to answer his police bail on April 10.
