Boris Johnson accused of ‘double standard’ in handling of Chris Pincher allegations | Political news

Boris Johnson is facing questions about his delay in suspending former deputy chief of staff Chris Pincher from the parliamentary party over allegations that he drunkenly groped two men.

Mr Pincher has been forced to step down from his role in Tory’s office – where he is responsible for party discipline and the smooth running of government business in Westminster – after the lawsuit emerged this week .

Now, after a formal complaint has been filed against him to the congressional Independent Complaints and Complaints Program (ICGS), he will forced to sit independently outside the Conservatives.

Tory Andrew Bridgen said Downing Street had breached a “double standard” in the difference between the handling of Mr Pincher and the handling of Neil Parish, the Conservatives forced to resign as MP after admitting to viewing pornography. porn in Commons.

Mr Bridgen told BBC Newsnight: “For those who want to maintain faith in the prime minister or even regain it, it was a particularly bad day.

“Neil was an independent-minded Conservative, he never really sought patronage and he kept ministers to account.

“Chris Pincher is considered a loyalist and I think that, for most people, that would be the reason for the difference in their treatment. And that is also unheard of.”

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said the prime minister had “been kicked and yelled at to take any action” and the scandal was “additional evidence to his appalling conviction”.

Read more: PM embarrassed about disciplining close ally accused of groping

Liberal Democrat leader Wendy Chamberlain said: “Boris Johnson should never have taken so long to act and withdraw the whip.

“Again, it looks like Johnson was forced to do the right thing.”

Earlier, Tory MPs Karen Bradley and Caroline Nokes – the only two female Conservative chairmen of backbench selection committees – criticized what their party called an “inconsistent and dubious approach”. clear” for such cases.

Also on Friday, The Times reported that a young Tory activist accused Mr Pincher of performing unwanted sex last year, saying the MP put his hand on his knee and told him that he will “go far in the party” at a party conference.

Mr. Pincher’s lawyers told the newspaper he firmly denied the allegation.

There are growing questions about why Mr. Pincher was chosen for the role in the whip office, yes previously resigned in a cloud in 2017.

That resignation comes after former Olympic rower and Conservative Party candidate Alex Story accused Mr Pincher of touching him while making an unwanted pass and using similar language. .

Mr Pincher was reinstated by Theresa May two months later, who introduced himself to police and the Conservative Party’s complaints procedure.

A Number 10 spokesman said the prime minister was not aware of anything that could have prevented the appointment from taking place earlier.

“In the absence of any formal complaints, it is not appropriate to stop an appointment on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations.”