Chris Pincher Steps Down as Tory Deputy Chief Whip After Allegedly Groping Two Men

In 2017, Tory MP for Tamworth Christopher Pincher was accused of "making a pass" at a former Olympic rower. At the time, he resigned as an Assistant Whip and Comptroller of the Household, but was cleared of wrongdoing by a party probe.

Tory deputy chief whip Christopher Pincher has resigned, admitting to having "drank far too much" amid reports that he groped two men in a London club.

"I’ve embarrassed myself and other people which is the last thing I want to do and for that I apologize to you and to those concerned," Pincher wrote in his resignation letter to Boris Johnson cited by The Sun. “I think the right thing to do in the circumstances is for me to resign as deputy chief whip."

He went on to assure the prime minister that he will continue "to have my full support from the back benches", wishing the PM "the best" in fight against "aftershocks of Covid and the challenges of international inflation."

The outgoing whip has not addressed the allegations of him groping two men at the Carlton Club in Piccadilly - something that was reported by several Conservative MPs who say they witnessed Pincher's inappropriate behavior.

Despite his bombshell resignation, Pincher will remain an MP, reportedly due to him quickly taking responsibility and doing "the right thing". This has prompted even more outrage among the Brits, with Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner blasting the Conservative Party for the "utterly degraded" standards in public life.

"There can be no question of the Conservatives sweeping a potential sexual assault under the carpet," Rayner tweeted. "Boris Johnson must now answer how Chris Pincher can remain a Conservative MP at all."

The alleged victims have not immediately pressed any charges or spoken out.

Pincher already quit office once in 2017 after being accused of making a pass at ex-Olympic rower and Tory activist Alex Story. Back at the time, Pincher was reported to have made an attempt to untuck Story's shirt, massage his neck and make inappropriate hints regarding his big prospects in the Conservative Party. The Tory MP quit and referred himself to police then, but was cleared of wrongdoing by a party probe.

The new harassment allegation is yet another sexual misconduct scandal linked to the Conservative Party, with Tories already having to deal with one MP, Imran Khan, being arrested for rape (he was later bailed without being charged), and another one, Neil Parish, accused of watching porn in the House of Commons.