Chris Pincher ‘sorry’ and seeking ‘medical support’ amid groping claims

Robert Dex and Bill McLoughlin
·3 min read
Chris Pincher ‘sorry’ and seeking ‘medical support’ amid groping claims

Suspended MP Chris Pincher has said he “truly sorry” for his conduct as is seeking “professional medical support” following allegations he groped two men at a private members’ club in London.

In a statement, he said: “In a statement, he said: “I respect the Prime Minister’s decision to suspend the whip whilst an inquiry is underway, and I will co-operate fully with it.

“As I told the Prime Minister, I drank far too much on Wednesday night, embarrassing myself and others, and I am truly sorry for the upset I caused.

“The stresses of the last few days, coming on top of those over the last several months, have made me accept that I will benefit from professional medical support.

“I am in the process of seeking that now, and I hope to be able to return to my constituency duties as soon as possible.”

Earlier on Saturday, a shadow cabinet minister claimed parliament is no longer “a safe place” to work.

Speakng to Sky News, shadow policing minister, Luke Pollard said: “We need a wholesale change in this because, I’m afraid, Parliament is not a safe place to work as it should be for so many of the young people in particular who work there.

“We need to be setting higher standards than we have at the moment but I’m afraid the culture is set from the top and the prime minister has been so very clear that standards in public life - decency, integrity, honesty - don’t apply.”

Following claims he drunkenly groped two men, Mr Pincher resigned from his position as deputy whip before then having the whip removed - he will now sit as an independent MP.

Boris Johnson was facing questions about Chris Pincher (John Sibley/PA) (PA Wire)
Boris Johnson was facing questions about Chris Pincher (John Sibley/PA) (PA Wire)

Boris Johnson bowed to pressure after a complaint about the MP was made to Parliament’s watchdog that examines allegations of bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct.

It was reported the decision was taken after the Prime Minister spoke to a Tory MP who was with one of the men who was allegedly groped by Mr Pincher.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: “The account given was sufficiently disturbing to make the PM feel more troubled by all this.”

The Prime Minister was said to have been waiting for a formal investigation to begin before suspending the whip.

Mr Pincher dramatically quit as Tory deputy chief whip after the incident which reportedly involved him assaulting two fellow guests at the Carlton Club – a Tory Party private members’ club in Piccadilly – on Wednesday evening

The Prime Minister had been resisting calls to go further and remove the whip, meaning the Tamworth MP would sit as an independent in the Commons, but action was taken after a formal complaint was made to the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS).

It came after Tory MPs Karen Bradley and Caroline Nokes, the only two Conservative female chairs of select committees, wrote to the chief whip suggesting Mr Pincher should have the Tory whip removed.

In their letter to Chris Heaton-Harris, they call for a “zero tolerance policy” on sexual misconduct following an “inconsistent and unclear approach” by the Tory party to such incidents.

A spokeswoman for Conservative chief whip Chris Heaton-Harris said: “Having heard that a formal complaint has been made to the ICGS, the PM has agreed with the chief whip that the whip should be suspended from Chris Pincher while the investigation is ongoing.

“We will not pre-judge that investigation. We urge colleagues and the media to respect that process.”

Former housing minister Kelly Tolhurst has been appointed as the new Tory deputy chief whip following the resignation of Chris Pincher, Downing Street said.

Scotland Yard said it had not received any reports of an incident at the club.

The Commons said the ICGS “operates on the basis of confidentiality for the benefit of all parties”, adding: “Therefore, we cannot provide any information on any complaint, including whether or not a complaint has been received.”

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