Photo: VCG

A Conservative politician and former government minister has been arrested in the UK over allegations of rape, sexual assault and coercive control, according to the Sunday Times newspaper.

The unnamed lawmaker was later released on bail by police after he was reported to them by a woman in her 20s who is believed to have been an ex-parliamentary employee, states the newspaper.

Police have said the allegations relate to four separate incidents alleged to have taken place between July, 2019, and January, 2020.

"On Friday, 31 July, the Metropolitan Police Service received allegations relating to four separate incidents involving allegations of sexual offences and assault," the force said in a statement.

"These offences are alleged to have occurred at addresses in Westminster, Lambeth and Hackney (all suburbs of London) between July 2019 and January 2020.

"A man in his 50s was arrested on Saturday 1 August on suspicion of rape. He has been released on bail to return on a date in mid-August."

A spokesman for the governing Conservative Party said: "We take all allegations of this nature extremely seriously. As this matter is now in the hands of the police it would be inappropriate to comment further."