Boris Johnson’s “defence has been completely blown apart”, Labour’s Angela Rayner has said, as Downing Street admitted the prime minister was aware that a misconduct complaint against Chris Pincher had been upheld when he promoted him to the whips’ office.
But Mr Johnson’s spokesperson denied that No 10 “lied” when it claimed last week that the PM was unaware of “specific allegations” against Mr Pincher, insisting that he did not originally “recall” hearing of the complaint, which he said was “a brief conversation that took place around three years ago”.
The admission comes after the former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office Lord McDonald accused No 10 of “not telling the truth” about allegations received about Chris Pincher’s conduct.
He said in a letter to the parliamentary standards commissioner that Mr Johnson was briefed “in person” about an investigation into Chris Pincher’s conduct as a Foreign Office minister.
Sir Keir Starmer accused the PM of showing “bad judgement” in appointing Mr Pincher to the whips’ office, while justice secretary Dominic Raab says he found Mr Pincher “on the whole very professional.”
Tory MPs lined up in the House of Commons to publicly condemn Boris Johnson’s handling of the Chris Pincher affair, with senior figures urging ministers to consider their positions.
On Tuesday, Labour was granted an urgent question in Parliament to address the growing scandal over the past behaviour of Mr Pincher and what the prime minister knew about the allegations.
As Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis kept defending the appointment of the MP for Tamworth as deputy chief whip, it soon became clear that disquiet among Tory MPs is growing, with several venting their anger and frustration in the lower chamber.
Conservative former minister John Penrose asked Mr Ellis when he would finally say “enough is enough” and no longer defend the government, whilst the Conservative chairman of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, William Wragg, urged ministers to consider their position.
Chris Pincher: Who is the former deputy chief whip at the centre of Westminster’s latest sleaze scandal?
-Boris Johnson’s government once again finds itself mired in scandal in the wake of the resignation of deputy chief whip Chris Pincher last week after he allegedly groped two colleagues at a social event while drunk.
The 52-year-old MP, who has represented Tamworth in Staffordshire since 2010, was the subject of two complaints over his conduct at a 30th anniversary reception for the Conservative Friends of Cyprus at the Carlton Club, a historic private members club.
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Watch: Boris Johnson was briefed in person about Chris Pincher allegations, Lord McDonald says
Labour’s Jess Phillips (Birmingham Yardley) challenged Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis to say whether the MP for Tamworth (Chris Pincher) “would have been able to get” a job if she had been deciding about appointments.
She said: “There’s always something that is meant to be for the standards for the public, that a minister stands there and leans on to try and get out of – basically telling untruths to public, allowing sycophancy rather than morality to be the reason why people are given their jobs.
“My final question to the minister is, if it had been me giving out those jobs, does he think the MP for Tamworth (Chris Pincher) would have been able to get one?”
Responding, Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis said: “I would expect (her) perhaps more than she would expect of me, and by that I mean, that I would expect her to act fairly. So I hope that answers her question. If she was in that position of responsibility to make decisions about appointments I would expect her to act fairly, full stop.”
Ministers should ‘consider positions’ in government after Pincher response, Tory MP suggests
Ministers should “consider their positions” in Boris Johnson’s government amid mounting anger over No 10’s response to misconduct complaints against Christopher Pincher, a Tory MP has suggested.
The remarks from William Wragg came just minutes after minister Michael Ellis admitted the prime minister was “made aware” in late 2019 of concerns relating to Mr Pincher – then a minister at the Foreign Office.
Prompting laughter in the Commons, the Cabinet Office minister, however, insisted Mr Johnson did not “immediately recall” the exchange when fresh allegations emerged about Mr Pincher’s conduct last week.
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Boris Johnson needs to show ‘honesty and accuracy,’ former head of Civil Service says
The former head of the Civil Service has called for “honesty and accuracy” from Boris Johnson over Chris Pincher’s appointment as deputy chief whip and said there is a pattern of Number 10 trying to “mislead and confuse stories”.
Lord Kerslake told Radio 4’s World at One programme: “There must be a complete openness and transparency from No 10 and the prime minister.
“We do need to understand why action was taken to appoint Chris Pincher to be a deputy chief whip, a role that is, after all, about the wellbeing of MPs as much as anything.
“Why was that appointment made and, if needs be, an apology”.
The cross-bench peer also said it is “inconceivable” that those around the prime minister were unaware of sexual misconduct claims.
“I cannot believe that they weren’t aware of previous allegations and indeed substantiated allegations,” he said, adding that No 10’s handling of the story in recent days demonstrates a “pattern of constantly trying to mislead, confuse stories and not come clean when the issue arises”.
Zelensky holds talks with Boris Johnson amid Pincher row
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has said he has held further talks with Boris Johnson about the latest situation in Ukraine.
Mr Zelensky tweeted: “Thanked (Mr Johnson) for the unwavering support of – the recent decision to provide £1 billion in security aid and today’s – £100 million.
“Talked about food security for the world and security guarantees for Ukraine.”
Minister also admits Boris Johnson knew Chris Pincher complaint was upheld
Speaking in the Commons shortly after No 10 admitted that Boris Johnson knew that a complaint against Chris Pincher had been upheld, paymaster general Michael Ellis said the same.
Officials raised concerns with the permanent secretary concerning Mr Pincher in October 2019 and the permanent secretary at the Foreign Office “commissioned work to establish facts”, undertaken by the Cabinet Office, he said.
Mr Ellis added: “The exercise established that while the minister meant no harm, what had occurred caused a high level of discomfort … the minister apologised and those raising the concern accepted the resolution.
“The prime minister was made aware of this issue in late 2019, he was told that the permanent secretary had taken the necessary action. No issue therefore arose about remaining as a minister.
“And last week when fresh allegations arose the prime minister did not immediately recall the conversation in late 2019 about this incident. As soon as he was reminded, the No 10 press office corrected their public lines.”
No 10 admits Boris Johnson knew misconduct complaint was upheld against Chris Pincher
Our deputy political editor Rob Merrick has this breaking update:
Boris Johnson knew a misconduct complaint had been upheld against Chris Pincher when he promoted him to the whips office, No 10 has admitted.
But the prime minister’s spokesman denied Downing Street “lied’ when it claimed, last week, that he was unaware of any “specific allegations” against the minister.
Mr Johnson did not originally “recall” being told about the complaint, he said, adding it was “a brief conversation that took place around three years ago”.
The spokesman also conceded the prime minister was told of a separate allegation – when Mr Pincher was promoted in February – but argued that was “unsubstantiated”.
Government ‘paralysed by scandal’, Angela Rayner says
Labour’s Angela Rayner has described Boris Johnson’s government as being “paralysed by scandal”.
In a Commons debate forced by Labour in response to the Chris Pincher allegations – amid a row over Mr Johnson’s handling of the claims – the party’s deputy leader said: “What message, Mr Speaker, does this send about the standards of this government and what they set?
“What message does this send to the British people facing a cost of living crisis while this government is paralysed by scandal? When will this minister [Michael Ellis] stop defending the indefensible and say ‘enough is enough’.”
