Conservative Party deputy leader Chris Pincher has resigned after allegedly groping two men while drunk.
In a resignation letter sent to Boris Johnson, he said he had “embarrassed myself and other people” by drinking too much at the Conservative Party’s private members’ club.
The alleged incident took place at the Carlton Club, in London’s Piccadilly, on Wednesday night, according to The Sun.
The Tamworth MP said in his resignation letter: “I had too much to drink last night.
“I have embarrassed myself and others, which is the last thing I want to do, and for that I apologize to you and those affected.
“I think the right thing to do in the circumstances is to resign as Deputy Chief Whip. I owe it to you and the people I’ve upset to do this.
“I want to assure you that you will continue to have my full support from the back benches and I wish you all the best as you deal with the aftershocks of Covid and the challenges of international inflation.”
“It has been the honor of my life to serve in Her Majesty’s Government.”
The Metropolitan Police said they were not aware of any calls to the scene of the alleged incident and had no record in their systems of any related reports made on Thursday.
A Tory source is reported to have said Mr Pincher would not face an investigation or disciplinary action. “The prime minister believes he has done the right thing by resigning. There is no need for an investigation and there is no need for the whip to be suspended,” The Telegraph wrote.
Mr Pincher was first elected MP for Tamworth – in Staffordshire – in May 2010 and was re-elected in December 2019.
His resignation means the Conservative Party is now without a deputy leader and party leader.
Oliver Dowden resigned as Tory leader last week following the party’s double defeat in the Tiverton, Honiton and Wakefield by-elections.
In 2017, Mr Pincher was cleared of breaching the party’s code of conduct after referring himself to the Conservatives’ complaints procedure.
He resigned as an assistant councilor after being accused of making unwanted advances to former Olympic rower and Tory campaigner Alex Storey, nine years before Mr Pincher became an MP.
Mr Pincher then said: “I do not recognize the events or the interpretation of them … if Mr Storey ever felt offended by anything I said, I can only apologise.”
He was later cleared of breaching the Conservative Party’s code of conduct in connection with the allegations.
Dozens of MPs from a number of parties have been accused of sexual harassment in recent years.
In 2018, the Independent Complaints and Grievances Scheme (ICGS) was established as an independent process with cross-party support in the wake of the so-called Pestminster scandal.
Last month, parliament’s independent watchdog said around 15 MPs were being investigated for alleged harassment or sexual misconduct.
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