Boris Johnson was “personally” briefed on an allegation of inappropriate habits in opposition to disgraced MP Chris Pincher in 2019, a former senior civil servant has claimed.
For the reason that deputy chief whip resigned from his put up final week following allegations of harassment by two males, Quantity 10 has mentioned the prime minister was unaware of the precise allegations.
However Lord McDonald, who was everlasting secretary on the Overseas Workplace between 2015 and 2020, has written to Parliament’s requirements commissioner saying Downing Road had made “incorrect claims”.
Posting the letter on Twitter, he mentioned: “Wrote to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Requirements this morning – as a result of No 10 preserve altering their story and nonetheless not telling the reality.”
Within the letter, he wrote: “The unique line 10 will not be true and the edit remains to be not appropriate. Mr Johnson was
personally knowledgeable in regards to the initiation and final result of the investigation.
“There was a ‘formal criticism’. The allegations have been ‘resolved’ solely within the sense that the investigation was concluded; Mr. Pincher was not exonerated. To characterize the allegations as ‘unsubstantiated’ is due to this fact flawed.”
Shortly earlier than the letter was revealed, Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab informed Sky Information’ Kay Burley that he knew in regards to the allegation when he was overseas secretary in 2019.
He mentioned he had “made it clear in no unsure phrases” to Mr Pincher that the habits “mustn’t ever occur once more”, and he referred him to each the civil service and the Cupboard Workplace for investigation.
However Mr Raab mentioned the investigations didn’t “lead to disciplinary motion” and he had solely informed the prime minister in regards to the incident “in latest days”.
The Deputy Prime Minister additionally described Mr Pincher as “an impressive minister” and mentioned it was proper to permit the unbiased inquiry to attract its personal conclusions.
Dominic Raab tells Sky Information what he knew in regards to the allegations in opposition to Chris Pincher in 2019
Mr Pincher resigned as deputy head of government on Thursday following allegations that he drunkenly groped two males at a non-public members’ membership in London earlier that week.
The celebration whip was solely eliminated – leaving him sitting as an unbiased MP – on Friday afternoon after the prime minister bowed to stress and a proper criticism was made to the Impartial Parliamentary Complaints and Grievances Scheme (ICGS).
Various ministers have taken to the airwaves to reiterate No 10’s protection of Mr Johnson since then, together with schooling minister Will Quince, who mentioned he had been given “categorical assurances” that the prime minister was not conscious of any particular allegations. critical.
However on Monday, Sky Information revealed that the Prime Minister’s spouse, Carrie Johnson, also questioned Mr Pincher’s suitability as a government whip as early as 2017.
Labour’s worldwide commerce secretary, Emily Thornberry, mentioned Downing Road “tells us various things on completely different days… and over time, the reality begins to return out”.
She informed Sky Information that Mr Johnson had “turned a blind eye to any accusation as a result of it behooves the Prime Minister to show a blind eye to it”, including: “We’d like a rustic that’s led by an honest and honorable individual”.
Liberal Democrat deputy chief Daisy Cooper additionally mentioned Lord McDonald had “shine a brand new mild on this darkish cover-up”.
She added: “Boris Johnson must come clean with his internet of lies and eventually come clear immediately. Every single day this continues our politics is dragged additional by the mud.”
