Former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher had his hands “all over” a gay bar in Soho, London, in 2018, according to new claims made to ITV News.
A man working in politics at the time claimed that he was groped by the MP on the evening of January 24 of the same year. He claimed Mr Pincher was drunk and groped his bottom.
The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, also has a handkerchief which he says was given to him by Mr Pincher that evening after the pair spent time together.
The handkerchief that Chris Pincher gave to one of his accusers. Credit: ITV News
Speaking to ITV News, he said: “[Mr Pincher] he was quite drunk and his hands were all over the place, I felt so uncomfortable knowing he was an MP.”
The alleged incident came within months of the MP resigning in November 2017 as Theresa May’s government whip following allegations of sexual misconduct.
The latest allegations, handed to ITV News, come in addition to a string of other allegations that have been made in recent days after Mr Pincher resigned as Boris Johnson’s deputy chief whip amid allegations he “groped” two men.
The Tamworth MP, who is under investigation over the latest allegations, told the Prime Minister he was standing down after he had “too much to drink” at a private Tory club and “embarrassed himself”.
It was revealed on Monday that Mr Pincher was the subject of further allegations of a similar nature over alleged conduct in 2019, with “a group of individuals” complaining to the Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Office.
The complaints led to a Foreign Office investigation which upheld the complaint but no disciplinary action was taken.
Number 10 admitted that Prime Minister Johnson had been made aware of the investigation, despite previously denying that he knew of any specific allegations against Mr Pincher, but made him his deputy chief whip in February 2022 anyway.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman, explaining the rebuttals, suggested that Mr Johnson had forgotten about the inquiry since 2019, when the latest allegations were made.
Mr Johnson was made aware of the Foreign Office investigation after he decided to make Mr Pincher his deputy chief whip in this year’s reshuffle, deciding it was not appropriate to block the MP’s promotion based on resolved matters.
The man who claimed to ITV News that Mr Pincher groped his bottom in Soho in 2018 went on to work for Mr Johnson at Number 10.
He claimed the prime minister “wanted to give Mr Pincher the post of chief whip but was advised to give him a deputy so he wouldn’t show because they knew of his behaviour”. “There is no way the Prime Minister has ‘forgotten’ about previous allegations, he was advised not to give him this position or even a senior position at all.
Mr Pincher has generally denied the allegations against him, but has so far not responded to ITV News’ request for a response to these latest allegations.
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The politician, who remains an MP despite strong pressure to quit, is being investigated by Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Complaints Scheme after one of the men he allegedly groped last week made a formal complaint.
In a statement over the weekend, the former minister said he would cooperate fully with the investigation and was seeking professional medical help after “the stress of the last few days”.
He said he hoped to return to work as an MP “as soon as possible”.
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