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Boris Johnson’s deputy chief whip has resigned over an allegation of “groping”, Sky News understands.
Chris Pincher said he had drunk “far too much” and had “embarrassed myself and other people” on a night out.
“I apologise to you and to those concerned,” he added.
Labour’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, said the prime minister had “serious questions to answer” about why Mr Pincher had been “given this role in the first place and how he can remain a Conservative MP”.
His departure comes less than a week after former Tory chairman Oliver Dowden resigned over two by-election defeats.
It is the second time Mr Pincher has quit the whips office.
In November 2017, Downing Street said he had “voluntarily referred himself both to the party’s complaints procedure and the police”.
The Mail on Sunday reported that Mr Pincher had been accused of making an unwanted pass at Conservative activist and former British rower Alex Story.
Mr Pincher told the newspaper: “If Mr Story has ever felt offended by anything I said then I can only apologise to him.”
The Conservative MP for Tamworth wrote to Mr Johnson explaining his decision to stand down.
He said in his letter: “Last night I drank far too much.
“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.”
Mr Pincher added: “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.”
Ms Rayner said the resignation showed “how far standards in public life have been degraded on Boris Johnson’s watch”.
She added: “The Conservative Party is so mired in…
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Source : skynews
