PM ‘did not know of’ Pincher claims

BORIS Johnson did not know “specific claims” about Chris Pincher before appointing him deputy chief whip, a Cabinet minister has argued despite numerous sexual misconduct allegations.

Therese Coffey battled to defend the Prime Minister yesterday over his decision to give the MP who has been stripped of the Conservative whip a key ministerial role.

Former No 10 adviser Dominic Cummings alleged Mr Johnson had referred to the MP as “Pincher by name, pincher by nature” long before appointing him in February. The MP for Tamworth in Staffordshire quit as Tory deputy chief whip after he was accused of drunkenly groping two men at a private members’ club in London.

The Prime Minister only bowed to pressure to remove the whip from his ally, meaning he is now sitting in the Commons as an independent, after an official investigation was launched.

Mr Pincher had already quit the whips’ office in 2017 after a complaint he had made an unwanted pass at former Olympic rower and Conservative candidate Alex Story.

At the time a young Tory activist, Mr Story alleged that year that the MP untucked the back of his shirt, massaged his neck and whispered “You’ll go far in the Tory Party”.

Ms Coffey, the Work and Pensions Secretary, was dispatched to defend the Prime Minister over what he knew and when.

“I am aware that the Prime Minister was not aware of specific claims that had been made,” she told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday.

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

Ms Coffey said “the leadership qualities of the Prime Minister are very evident” when questioned about Mr Johnson setting standards amid Tory sleaze scandals.

SCOTLAND Yard has dropped its sexual harassment investigation into MP Patrick Grady. The Metropolitan Police said yesterday that no further action was being taken against the MP for Glasgow North after officers spoke to the alleged victim.