No.10 contacts grope claim woman

Downing Street has contacted a TV producer who claims she was groped during a meeting inside Number 10, to ask whether she would like to make a formal complaint.

Daisy Goodwin, the creator of hit ITV series Victoria, said an official touched her breast after a discussion of a proposed TV programme during David Cameron’s time in office.

The former prime minister has said he was “alarmed and shocked” to hear her allegations, and has contacted the Cabinet Office to voice his concern. Downing Street said the Cabinet Office would look into any formal complaint.

Theresa May’s official

“Are you actually touching my breast?”

spokesman declined to say whether any complaint had been received.

But a Whitehall source indicated contact had been made with the producer to ensure she was aware that if she chose to make a complaint, it would be looked into.

Ms Goodwin said she did not report the alleged incident at the time as she did not feel “traumatised”, but was no longer sure whether she was right to keep quiet.

She said she was astonished when the official put his hand on her breast after the one-onone meeting, and dealt with the situation by “humiliating” him verbally, looking at his hand and saying: “Are you actually touching my breast?”

“He dropped his hand and laughed nervously,” she said. “I wasn’t traumatised, I was cross.

“Now, in the light of all the shocking stories that have come out about abusive behaviour by men in power, I wonder if my Keep Calm And Carry On philosophy, inherited from my parents, was correct?

“The answer is, I am not sure.”