TWO aides to frontbench Tories have been arrested in connection with a serious homophobic assault on a gay policy adviser outside a Westminster bar, Scotland Yard confirmed last night.

Chris Carter, 27, who works for the British Property Federation, was beaten and kicked just yards from the Houses of Parliament and the Conservative Party headquarters.

David Maclean, the Tory Chief Whip, has been informed of the incident.

At the time of the incident Matt Eaton and Charles Ranson both worked at the House of Commons for senior frontbench figures. Mr Eaton, 27, a Colchester councillor, was an assistant in the private office of Bernard Jenkin, the Shadow Defence Secretary and one of Iain Duncan Smith’s closest allies. He has ambitions to become an MP.

Mr Ranson worked for Malcolm Moss, the Conservative MP for Cambridgeshire North East and a Tory spokesman on arts and tourism.

Mr Moss said that he knew “nothing about this at all” but said that Mr Ranson had recently told him that he would not be returning as he planned to resume university studies.

Any court case could undermine the party’s efforts to shed its reputation for prejudice and present a more caring face.

A spokeswoman for Scotland Yard confirmed last night that four men had been arrested in connection with an attack on a man in Victoria Street, Central London. No action is being taken against two. Mr Eaton and Mr Ranson, are on police bail until next month. The alleged assault happened at 1.30am on July 18.

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