The Conservative Party will not investigate a London mayoral candidate accused of sexually assaulting TV producer Daisy Goodwin in Downing Street, it has confirmed.
Tory officials said the allegation was not covered by its investigation processes because it had not received a formal complaint against Daniel Korski.
Asked if Rishi Sunak considered No 10 a safe environment for women following the allegation, the prime minister’s official spokesman said “yes”. And Mr Sunak’s spokesman said the prime minister would expect harassment allegations to be investigated “in any walk of life”.
Mr Korski, who is one of three contenders vying to be the Tory candidate to take on Sadiq Khan, allegedly groped Daisy Goodwin, who created ITV drama Victoria.
Ms Goodwin accused Mr Korski, who was then a special adviser to David Cameron, of touching her breast a decade ago at the end of a meeting in Downing Street.
A spokesperson for Mr Korski said: “In the strongest possible terms, Dan categorically denies any allegation of inappropriate behaviour whatsoever.”
And in a statement posted to Twitter, Mr Korski said he “categorically” denied any wrongdoing.
“Politics can be a rough and challenging business. Unfortunately, in the midst of this demanding environment, this baseless allegation from the past has resurfaced,” he said.
Mr Korski added: “It is disheartening to find myself connected to this allegation after so many years, but I want to unequivocally state that I categorically deny any claim of inappropriate behaviour. I denied when it was alluded to 7 years and I do so now.”
Labour called for Mr Korski to be suspended from the party while the Conservatives launch a “thorough investigation” into the allegation. “Ignoring these allegations while the prime minister claims that tackling sexual violence against women is a priority for his government is disingenuous,” MP Marsha De Cordova said.
Ms De Cordova also highlighted that Mr Korski was a “senior government employee” at the time of the alleged incident, calling for a Cabinet Office probe as well.
And confirmation Mr Korski will not be investigated comes amid growing pressure on the entrepeneur to step back from the mayoral race over Ms Goodwin’s allegation.
Ms Goodwin accused Mr Korski of touching her breast a decade ago after a meeting in Downing Street— (Getty)
A senior Tory MP told The Independent the “wheels are falling off” Mr Korski’s campaign, adding that the allegation shows the process behind the shortlist was a “farce”.
The MP said: “With less than a month to go before we choose our candidate, the wheels are falling off a front-runner’s campaign.
“It shows what a farce the selection process has been. Paul Scully should have been on the shortlist. He is tried and tested and is used to public scrutiny.”
Mr Scully, the government’s minister for London, failed to make it on to the Conservative shortlist for the race.
London Assembly Member (AM) Susan Hall and barrister Mozammel Hossain KC are also competing for the nomination.
Mr Korski is running on a platform of implementing a new tourist tax to pay for more police, including setting up a minor crimes constabulary to work closely with local communities, and building denser housing in central London.
He was seen as a leading contender and his campaign has been endorsed by levelling up secretary Michael Gove and senior Tories Robert Buckland and Nadhim Zahawi.
But the allegation represents a major blow to his campaign.
Ms Goodwin went public about the incident in 2017, but at the time decided to not name Mr Korski. She said she was naming him now because of his candidacy to become London’s mayor.
“It is not fair on the great majority of men who treat women decently to allow a man who clearly has a problem with impulse control to reach a position of power,” she said.
Writing in The Times, Ms Goodwin urged others who may have “had similar experiences” with Mr Korski to come forward.
She described how during a meeting with Mr Korski, who is 15 years her junior, he made an “awkwardly flirtatious” comment about her sunglasses before resting his feet on the edge of her chair and “leaning back so that I could get a clear view of his crotch”.
As the pair stood up at the end of the meeting, Ms Goodwin said Mr Korski stepped toward her and “suddenly put his hand on my breast”.
Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) said the party has an “established code of conduct” and “formal processes where complaints can be made in confidence”.
A CCHQ spokesman said: "The party considers all complaints made under the Code of Conduct but does not conduct investigations where the party would not be considered to have primary jurisdiction over another authority."
