Tory whip Chris Pincher RESIGNS after ‘groping 2 men’ & claims he ‘drank too much’ – but will remain as an MP
THE Tory deputy chief whip sensationally quit last night after allegedly groping two men while drunk.
In a bombshell resignation letter, Chris Pincher admitted he had “embarrassed myself and other people” after a boozy session on Wednesday night.
Pincher, 52 — the MP for Tamworth, Staffs — is alleged to have groped two fellow guests at the Carlton Club in London’s Piccadilly.
Several Tory MPs complained to the whips’ office about his behaviour.
Shamed Pincher started his resignation letter to Boris Johnson by admitting: “Last night I drank far too much.”
He quit as the deputy chief whip yesterday after he was accused of groping two men while out boozing.
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Pincher told the PM: “I’ve embarrassed myself and other people which is the last thing I want to do and for that I apologise to you and to those concerned.
“I think the right thing to do in the circumstances is for me to resign as deputy chief whip.
“I owe it to you and the people I’ve caused upset to, 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 aftershocks of Covid and the challenges of international inflation. It has been the honour of my life to have served in Her Majesty’s Government.”
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Amazingly, it was the second time that Pincher — who has been the MP for Tamworth since 2010 — had been forced to quit the whips’ office over sex allegations.
In 2017 he was accused of making a pass at a former Olympic rower while dressed in a bathrobe like a “pound shop Harvey Weinstein”.
Athlete and Tory activist Alex Story, who was 26 at the time, said Pincher attempted to untuck his shirt, massaged his neck and whispered: “You’ll go far in the Conservative Party”.
Pincher quit and referred himself to the police after the incident — which was said to have happened at his home in 2001.
He was cleared of wrongdoing by a Tory probe.
Pincher was drinking at the Carlton Club in London’s Piccadilly on Wednesday when he allegedly groped two fellow guests.
Several alarmed Conservative MPs got in contact with the Tory whips’ office to complain about his behaviour and demand that he be booted out of government.
The resignation left the PM facing a massive new headache as he landed back in the UK last night from the Nato summit.
Under pressure from Tory MPs who want him to quit, he already faces the challenge of finding a party chairman after the shock resignation of Oliver Dowden.
Mr Dowden fell on his sword after the Tories were pummelled in two by-elections last week — leaving with a blast at the PM over the need for somebody to “take responsibility” for the current mess.
Mr Johnson is understood to be reluctant to carry out a full reshuffle before the summer in case it further enrages his MPs.
The Sun understands that Pincher will not lose the party whip — so will stay on as a Tory MP — because he has done the right thing, admitted embarrassing himself and other people, and fallen on his sword.
The Carlton Club is the Tory Party’s exclusive private members club and a short walk from Westminster. Its wood-panelled rooms are framed with paintings of past Tory PMs such as Margaret Thatcher and David Cameron.
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Pincher’s is the latest in a string of bombshell sex scandal allegations to rock the Tory Party.
Earlier this year, The Sun exclusively revealed that Tory MP Neil Parish had been caught watching porn in the House of Commons chamber. He then quit as member for Tiverton and Honiton.
