Pressure rises on PM about Pincher claim

Boris Johnson is facing demands to set out what he knew about allegations of inappropriate behaviour centring on Chris Pincher before appointing him to the Tory whips’ office.

The Prime Minister is alleged to have referred to the MP as “Pincher by name, pincher by nature” before making him deputy chief whip in February.

The MP for Tamworth in Staffordshire resigned from the role after being accused of drunkenly groping two men in a private members’ club in London.

It was the second time he resigned from the whips’ office after Conservative candidate Alex Story accused him of making an inappropriate advance in 2017. One Tory backbencher said claims about Mr Pincher had been “swirling around Westminster for years”.

Labour Party chair Anneliese Dodds has written to Mr Johnson demanding to know what Downing Street knew of the allegations before his second appointment as a whip.

“The British people deserve to know why Mr Pincher was appointed as the deputy chief whip when he has a history of alleged inappropriate sexual behaviour,” she said.

“It is vital these questions are answered honestly.”

She also questioned why the Tory whip was not suspended, meaning the MP now sits as an independent, until Friday when the incident took place at the Carlton Club on Wednesday.

A Downing Street source has argued Mr Johnson took the move after speaking to a Tory MP who was with one of the men allegedly groped by Mr Pincher.

“The account given was sufficiently disturbing to make the PM feel more troubled by all this,” the source said.

Dominic Cummings, the prime minister’s former chief aide turned critic-inchief, said Mr Johnson referred to the MP “laughingly in No 10 as ‘Pincher by name, pincher by nature’ long before appointing him”.

Downing Street has not disputed his account, but Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey argued Mr Johnson did not know “specific claims” about the MP.

“I don’t believe he was aware, that’s what I’ve been told today,” she told Sky.

Under investigation by Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme, Mr Pincher said he is seeking “professional medical support” and hopes to return to represent his constituents “as soon as possible”.

The Mail on Sunday alleged he threatened to report a parliamentary researcher to her boss after she tried to stop his “lecherous” advances to a young man at a Conservative conference.

The Sunday Times alleged he made unwanted passes at two Conservative MPS in 2017 and 2018 – after his first resignation as a whip.

RESIGNED: Chris Pincher is accused of drunkenly groping two men last week.