Chris Pincher MP faces eight-week suspension and after groping allegations upheld

By-election could be triggered after parliamentary watchdog censures former government whip

MP Christopher Pincher faces an eight-week suspension from parliament after a watchdog upheld groping allegations.

Former government whip Chris Pincher is facing an eight-week suspension from parliament after the standards watchdog upheld “profoundly damaging” groping allegations.

Mr Pincher was found to have groped two people at London’s exclusive Carlton club while he was the Conservative government’s deputy chief whip last summer.

The Standards Committee report said: “The breach we are considering is solely whether Mr Pincher has caused significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House as a whole, or of its Members generally.

“The perception that MPs can engage in such conduct with impunity does significantly impact public perception of the House and its Members.

“We, therefore, recommend that Mr Pincher be suspended from the service of the House for eight weeks.”

The move could potentially trigger a by-election in his Tamworth constituency.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner called on Mr Pincher to “do the decent thing and resign” as an MP.

“Chris Pincher’s actions are shocking. But what’s even worse is the way the Conservative Party protected him – even promoting him despite a previous investigation into his conduct,” she said.

Mr Pincher resigned as a Government whip after the incident and subsequently lost the Tory whip, meaning he now sits in the Commons as an independent MP.

Already battling to remain prime minister while dogged by Partygate allegations, Mr Johnson’s handling of the Pincher affair was the final straw for his Cabinet support.

He had appointed the MP to the senior role overseeing party discipline despite being aware of an official complaint about Mr Pincher’s behaviour.

If 10 per cent of Tamworth voters sign the possible recall petition, then the Conservatives, reeling in the national polls, will have to defend another constituency they won in 2019.

Two of three by-elections due on July 20 were triggered by the resignations of Mr Johnson and his ally Nigel Adams.

The third was prompted by the resignation of David Warburton amid allegations of sexual harassment and drug use.