Chris Pincher has announced that he is resigning his Tamworth seat immediately, sparking a fresh by-election headache for Rishi Sunak and the Conservatives.
Mr Pincher – the former Tory deputy chief whip – lost his appeal against an eight-week suspension after he was found to have drunkenly groped two men at the Carlton Club last year.
He said in statement that he has “made arrangements to resign and leave the Commons” – setting up a second awkward vote for the Tories in October, with Nadine Dorries’ seat also being contested.
“I have said already that I will not stand at the next general election,” said the MP on Thursday. “I do not want my constituents to be put to further uncertainty, and so in consequence I have made arrangements to resign and leave the Commons.”
Mr Pincher added: “Tamworth is a wonderful place and it has been an honour to represent its people. I shall make no further comment at this time.”
The PM is already facing a by-election in Ms Dorries’ Mid Bedfordshire seat on either 12 or 19 October. The Tamworth vote could be held on the same date – with Commons officials expected to move the writ on Monday before local authories finalise dates.
Mr Pincher resigned as Tory deputy chief whip under pressure in June last year following the initial groping allegations. The MP admitted that he had “embarrassed myself and other people” while being drunk, but denied sexual harassment allegations.
In a daming report the standards committee later found that Mr Pincher did groped two people “as a matter of fact” and said his conduct was “profoundly damaging” and amounted to an abuse of power.
Mr Pincher appealed the eight-week suspension, long enough to trigger a recall petition and the strong possibility of a by-election. But parliament’s Independent Expert Panel (IEP) dismissed his appeal on Monday.
Chris Pincher quit government after groping guests at the Carlton Club— (PA Archive)
The scandal hastened Boris Johnson’s downfall last summer after series of further misconduct claims, denied by the MP, emerged in the press and raised questions about how much the then-PM knew about his whip’s behaviour.
Former No 10 strategist Dominic Cummings claimed that Mr Johnson knew of his reputation and had referred to the MP as “Pincher by name, pincher by nature” before making him deputy chief whip.
The debacle over the allegations against Mr Pincher sparked a row that helped end Mr Johnson’s time at Downing Street, after his handling of the scandal unleashed a wave of pent-up frustration with his leadership, already damaged by Partygate.
Mr Pincher was re-elected to his Tamworth seat in Staffordshire with a majority of just over 19,000 in 2019.
Eddie Hughes, the current Tory MP for Walsall North, had been selected to represent the party in Tamworth at the next election – but he said on Thursday that he will not be standing in a by-election.
Despite the huge majority Mr Sunak faces a struggle to hold onto the seat after bruising defeats to both Labour and the Lib Dems in Tory strongholds over recent months.
Rishi Sunak says by-election will be ‘difficult’— (PA Wire)
Asked about his party’s prospects in the by-elections, Mr Sunak told reporters: “Mid-term by-elections are always difficult for incumbent governments and these will be no different – but we’re going to keep working hard to deliver for the British people.”
Sir Keir Starmer said Labour will be hoping to secure the seat for his party. He said that the people of Tamworth had been “desperately let down” by Mr Pincher and the Tories.
“The contrast this week couldn’t be starker could it? I’ve just put my top team on the table through the reshuffle that will take us into the election, focusing on the country.”
Labour overturned a 20,000-vote Conservative majority in Selby and Ainsty in rural Yorkshire, while the Lib Dems overcame a 19,000 Tory majority in the previously safe seat of Somerton and Frome in Somerset.
The PM also faces a by-election in Ms Dorries’ Mid Bedfordshire seat will be held on 12 or 19 October. The Tories, boasting a 24,000 majority, are still hoping to cling on because of a potentially even vote split between Labour and the Lib Dems.
