Rishi Sunak was plunged into a growing by-elections crisis on Thursday after the Tories’ ex-Deputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher faced an eight-week suspension from the Commons for a “shameful” drunken groping abuse of power.
In a damning verdict, the Commons Standards Committee recommended the lengthy suspension which is likely to trigger a recall petition in Pincher’s Tamworth constituency, potentially leading to a by-election.
Senior MPs found his actions against two men were “unwanted, inappropriate and upsetting”, in what amounted to an “egregious case of sexual misconduct” in the presence of several other MPs, two of who alerted the Chief Whip.
His scandalous behaviour means the Tories could within months have to defend five seats at by-elections, including in Boris Johnson’s ex-constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip.
It was Mr Johnson’s failure to act swiftly against Pincher, when the allegations against him were made public, which ultimately led to a revolt by Tory MPs who forced him out of office amid the partygate scandal.
Another of the by-elections, in Somerton and Frome, was sparked by Tory David Warburton standing down after drug and sex allegations, which he denies.
Pincher was the Government’s Deputy Chief Whip last summer when he was accused of groping two men at the exclusive Carlton Club in central London.
A House of Lords employee told the investigation that around midnight on June 30 last year Pincher drunkenly grabbed his forearm in the bar of the private members club “for longer than necessary”.
The MP went on to “stroke his neck” and then “squeezed the complainant’s bottom”, the report said.
The complainant later describe the incident as having been “traumatic” and to have impacted on his well-being, including sleeping difficulties.
A civil servant, who was a witness in the investigation, described how Pincher touched his bottom before squeezing his testicles.
He later said the incident had affected his health, well-being, stopping exercising, putting on weight, and causing him concern for his future work prospects, given Pincher’s position of power at Westminster.
The Standards Committee said his conduct was “completely inappropriate”, “profoundly damaging to the individuals concerned and “represented an abuse of power”.
Parliament’s Standards Commissioner concluded that “Mr Pincher’s conduct on 29 and 30 June 2022 was deeply inappropriate and shameful”.
The committee concluded that Pincher broke the MPs’ code of conduct by behaving in a way that would cause “significant damage to the reputation and integrity” of the Commons.
Pincher denied he behaviour amounted to this.
But Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner called on him to “do the decent thing and resign” as an MP.
Pincher quit as a Government whip after the incident and subsequently lost the Tory whip, meaning he now sits in the Commons as an independent.
MPs are expected to back the Committee’s eight-week suspension recommendation which would lead to a recall petition.
If ten per cent of Tamworth voters sign it, then there would be a by-election.
