PM ‘missed 2 chances to probe Pincher’
BORIS Johnson has “serious questions to answer” after twice being warned of long-standing sexual misconduct claims against “groper” Chris Pincher.
The first claim came from his MPS in the hope Mr Pincher would refer himself to the party’s complaints procedure.
That prompted a second by a group of their staffers, who wrote to the PM about their concerns on May 24, although they did not mention Mr Pincher by name.
After Mr Pincher quit as deputy chief whip for allegedly molesting two men, they tweeted: “This has come as no surprise to us. The whip should have been withdrawn immediately.
“There are serious questions surrounding the PM’S prior knowledge of Pincher’s misconduct.”
After their letter the PM sent the group to Mr Pincher’s boss, Chief Whip Chris
Heaton-harris, who said “he cannot act on anonymous speculation.” Mr Heatonharris’s spokesperson added: “If an MP insists no wrong on their part and no formal complaint it would be inappropriate to assume someone is guilty without a proper and fair investigation.”
Mr Pincher has now been suspended from the Parliamentary Tory Party as harassment watchdog the Independent Complaints and
Grievance Scheme begins an investigation.
And he is under pressure to quit as MP in Tamworth, Staffs, a seat he won with a 19,600 majority – giving the PM another by-election nightmare.
Yesterday, Mr Pincher said he was seeking “professional medical support” and would cooperate with the probe into his behaviour.
He admitted getting plastered at London’s Carlton Club during a Conservative Friends of Cyprus shindig after which he allegedly groped two men.
Now, campaign group Conservative Staffers for Change, led by Parliamentary aides Angus Mcvean and Henry Dixonclegg, both 22, is to meet Sir Lindsay Hoyle on Wednesday over the issue.
It is understood they will tell the Commons Speaker of at least six other staffers who allege inappropriate behaviour by Mr Pincher and other MPS. One activist told The Times Mr Pincher made an unwanted advance to him at last year’s party conference. He said: “He was drunk, cornered me and put his hand on my knee. He was saying I would go far in the party.”
The account, denied by Mr Pincher, is similar to one told in 2017 by activist Alex Story, who dubbed the MP a “poundshop Harvey Weinstein”. The former Olympic rower said Mr Pincher took him back to his flat in 2001, plied him with whiskey, tried to untuck his shirt, massaged his neck and whispered: “You’ll go far in the party.”
Mr Pincher said Mr Story’s account of the evening was wrong. But he resigned as a whip and referred himself to the police and the Tory party’s complaints procedure, which cleared him.
He is well-known as a heavy drinker. At a dinner hosted by Ladbrokes at the 2014 conference he was so drunk he fell asleep at the table, a guest claimed.
A Tory peer said: “He gets hammered and does all sorts.”
Mr Mcvean said: “We hope to discuss with the speaker reform which would protect people who work in Parliament.”
His boss, former Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley, wrote to the Chief Whip demanding an MPS’ code of conduct that would be strictly enforced.
Mr Dixon-clegg said: “We look forward to discussions with the Speaker who has indicated his own wish for change.”
Mr Mcvean said: “One of the reasons victims don’t come forward is they are afraid it may damage their careers.”
MPS say the PM was warned not to appoint Mr Pincher in February.
A Government spokesman said having had no formal complaint “it was not appropriate to stop an appointment on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations”.
The whip should have been
withdrawn immediately