Tory whip quits over drunken groping

Deputy chief whip resigns post for second time over sexual misconduct allegations

BORIS JOHNSON’S deputy chief whip resigned last night after claims that he drunkenly groped two men at a private members club in London.

Chris Pincher said in a letter to the Prime Minister that he “drank far too much” at the event on Wednesday evening and had “embarrassed myself and other people”.

It is the second time Mr Pincher, the Conservative MP for Tamworth, has quit the Tory whips office over allegations of sexual impropriety. However, it is understood he will be allowed to continue to sit as a Tory in the House of Commons.

The Conservative Party was under pressure over the decision last night, with calls from Labour for Mr Pincher to be stripped of the whip. If a by-election was triggered, it would heap fresh pressure on Mr Johnson, who has faced renewed calls to stand down after losing two Tory-held seats last month.

Mr Pincher was only made deputy chief whip in February after playing a key part in the operation to save Mr Johnson from a Tory plot to oust him.

The Sun reported last night that Mr Pincher was accused of assaulting two fellow guests at the Carlton Club, a private members club with close ties to the Conservative Party. It was claimed that several Tory MPS contacted the Whips office to complain about his behaviour and suggest his removal from the post.

In a letter to Mr Johnson, seen by The Daily Telegraph, Mr Pincher said he would resign as deputy chief whip and appeared to address the allegations.

Mr Pincher said: “Last night I drank far too much. I’ve embarrassed myself and other people, which is the last thing I want to do and for that I apologise to you and to those concerned.

“I think the right thing to do in the circumstances is for me to resign as deputy chief whip. I owe it to you and the people I’ve caused upset to, to do this.

“I want to assure you that you will continue to have my full support from the back benches, and I wish you all the best as you deal with aftershocks of Covid and the challenges of international inflation.”

There was no immediate response from the Prime Minister.

Last night, it appeared Mr Pincher would keep the Tory whip, meaning he will continue to sit as a Conservative MP.

A Tory source said he would not face any inquiry or disciplinary process. The source said: “The Prime Minister thinks he’s done the decent thing by resigning. There is no need for an investigation and no need to suspend the whip.”

However, Angela Rayner, the Labour deputy leader, said: “This latest episode shows how far standards in public life have been degraded on Boris Johnson’s watch. Boris Johnson has serious questions to answer about why Chris Pincher was given this role in the first place and how he can remain a Conservative MP. There cannot be any question of the Conservatives sweeping a potential sexual assault under the carpet.”

Mr Pincher is the latest Tory MP to face claims of sexual impropriety.

The Telegraph revealed in April that Neil Parish was the MP accused of watching pornography in the House of Commons. He initially kept the Tory whip. However, he resigned as MP for Tiverton and Honiton, triggering a by-election which the Tories lost to the Lib Dems.

Mr Pincher, who was elected in 2010, won re-election in 2019 with a majority of around 20,000 votes – less than that for Tiverton and Honiton.

Imran Ahmad Khan resigned as Tory MP for Wakefield after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenager. The by-election was won by Labour.

It is not the first time Mr Pincher has faced sexual impropriety claims. In 2017 he was accused of making a pass at Alex Story, a former Olympic rower and Tory activist.

Mr Pincher denied wrongdoing and resigned from the whips office.

A Conservative Party investigation cleared him of wrongdoing.