The former deputy chief whip at the centre of the controversy that led to Boris Johnson’s downfall is under investigation by a parliamentary watchdog.
Chris Pincher is being investigated for “actions causing significant damage to the reputation of the House as a whole, or of its members generally”, according to the parliament website.
Mr Pincher quit his government role in June after being accused of assaulting two fellow guests at the exclusive Carlton Club in London the evening before.
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It sparked a row that ultimately led to Mr Johnson’s fall from office, as it emerged Mr Pincher had been investigated for his conduct three years ago and Mr Johnson had been told about the investigation prior to appointing him as deputy chief whip.
Downing Street initially said Mr Johnson was unaware of specific allegations against the disgraced MP, but Lord McDonald, former permanent secretary in the Foreign Office, went public to say the prime minister was briefed “in person” about a 2019 complaint against Mr Pincher in the Foreign Office.
Mr Johnson later acknowledged he had been informed of inappropriate behaviour dating back three years but suggested he forgot.
Although he apologised, the former prime minister’s handling of the scandal unleashed a wave of pent-up frustration with his leadership, already damaged by lockdown-busting parties in Downing Street and by-election defeats.
That came on top of his attempts to change the rules to prevent the suspension of then-Conservative MP Owen Paterson after he broke lobbying rules.
Moments after Mr Johnson apologised for appointing Mr Pincher, Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid resigned from their cabinet positions as chancellor and health secretary.
It sparked a wave of resignations that led to the collapse of Mr Johnson’s government.
Mr Pincher was the Tory MP for Tamworth in Staffordshire but now sits as an independent in the Commons.
He is under investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.
Kathryn Stone opened the probe on 20 October.
Last month, it was reported that Mr Pincher would not be investigated by another of parliament’s watchdogs.
The Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) reportedly dropped the complaint because the alleged incident had happened outside of the parliamentary estate.
