Former government whip Chris Pincher is facing an eight-week suspension from the House of Commons for drunkenly groping two men at a London club last year. Mr. Pincher, MP for Tamworth, resigned from the whips office and had his Conservative Party membership suspended last year over the alleged groping of two male guests at a Conservative Party private members’ club in June 2022.
In a report published on Thursday, Parliament’s Standards Committee upheld the allegations and described Mr. Pincher’s conduct at the Carlton Club as “unwanted, inappropriate, and upsetting.” They referred to the incident as an “egregious case of sexual misconduct.”
One of the complainants stated that the incident had a significant impact on him, causing increased anxiety. The committee stated that Mr. Pincher’s conduct was completely inappropriate, harmful to the individuals involved, and an abuse of power.
The committee concluded that he violated the MPs’ code of conduct by engaging in behavior that would significantly damage the reputation and integrity of the House of Commons.
The recommended eight-week suspension is one of the longest ever, surpassing the ten-day threshold that could trigger a recall petition in his Staffordshire seat. If approved by MPs and if 10 percent of Tamworth voters sign the recall petition, a by-election could take place.
One of the complainants, who was a House of Lords employee at the time, described how Mr. Pincher grabbed his forearm, stroke the back of his neck, and squeezed his backside. The incidents were traumatic and continued to affect his sleep.
A witness in the investigation, a civil servant, stated that Mr. Pincher touched his bottom and squeezed his testicles for several seconds. This incident had a significant impact on him, causing anxiety and affecting his job and future career plans, as well as his physical well-being.
Mr. Pincher denied breaching the code of conduct but expressed genuine contrition for his actions, which he cannot recall due to being heavily intoxicated. He has sought professional medical help and stated that he will not fight to remain as Tamworth’s MP.
The scandal surrounding Mr. Pincher led to the downfall of Boris Johnson, who had appointed him to the role overseeing party discipline despite being aware of an official complaint. Mr. Johnson was forced to resign after his handling of the Pincher affair resulted in mass resignations from his Cabinet.
Various politicians, including Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner and the Liberal Democrats, called for Mr. Pincher’s resignation. The Prime Minister’s spokesperson stated that it is ultimately Mr. Pincher’s decision, as he is not a member of the government.
[PA Media contributed to this report.]