Ex-MP Adam Vaughan urges successor Vuong to step down, not sit as MP 'under a cloud'

The former Liberal MP for Spadina-Fort York said he has urged his newly elected successor, Kevin Vuong, to resign, warning him that local people will be 'furious' if he takes his seat.

Adam Vaughan, who did not seek re-election this year after having represented the downtown Toronto riding since 2014, also said that he would not brief his successor on certain sensitive cases and would instead ask ministers or neighbouring MPs to take them forward.

The Liberal party dropped Vuong as a candidate in Spadina-Fort York just two days before Monday's election after the Toronto Star reported there had been a sexual assault charge laid against him in 2019, which was later dropped.

However, thousands of people had already voted by mail or in advance polls in the riding and it was too late to remove Vuong's name or party affiliation from the ballots that were cast Monday.

He managed to win with about 39 per cent of the vote. He is set to sit as an Independent MP, which the Liberal party said he would have to do if he won.