The Tory MP, who allegedly touched two men at a posh member club in London, said he was now seeking ‘professional medical support’ and ‘respected’ the prime minister’s decision to suspend him from the party.
Chris Pincher, 52, who resigned as deputy chief whip after saying he drank too much on Wednesday, also said today he would “fully cooperate” with an investigation into his behavior.
The action to suspend Mr Pincher’s Tory whip – which has been sued by prominent backbenchers – has now been taken after a formal charge was laid against him at Parliament’s harassment watchdog.
The Tory MP for Tamworth has previously admitted that he ’embarrassed himself and other people’ after drinking too much at the elite Carlton club in London.
Chris Pincher was suspended as a Tory MP after a formal complaint was lodged with parliament’s independent complaints and grievance scheme.
The 52-year-old resigned as Tory deputy chief whip last night, saying he had embarrassed himself and other people after drinking too much at the elite Carlton club in London.
In a statement, Mr Pincher said: ‘I respect the Prime Minister’s decision to suspend the whip while an investigation is under way, and I will fully cooperate with that.
‘As I told the Prime Minister, I drank way too much on Wednesday night, embarrassing myself and others and I’m really sorry for the upset I caused.
‘The stress of the last few days, which has come over the past few months, has led me to accept that I will benefit from professional medical support.
“I’m in the process of looking for it now, and I hope to be able to return to my constituency duties as soon as possible.”
His suspension as a Tory MP came on Friday, after a day of rowing among conservatives over whether Mr Pincher should retain the party whip.
Boris Johnson has been ordered to strip the Tory whip of the Tamworth whip as it appears he was handed the key role in February in enforcing party discipline, despite allegations of his own lack of self-control
Former ministers Caroline Nokes and Karen Bradley, who are both now chairmen of the Commons’ selection committees, said the party should display a ‘zero-tolerance policy’ on sexual misconduct.
The two senior female Tories told Mr. Johnson wrote and demanded that Pincher remove the whip pending an investigation
A spokesman for Conservative Chief Whip Chris Heaton-Harris said: “After hearing that a formal complaint had been lodged with the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme, the Prime Minister agreed with Chief Whip that Chris Pincher’s whip should be suspended. while the investigation is ongoing.
“We will not prejudge that investigation in advance. We call on colleagues and the media to respect that process. “
It was also announced last night that Mr. Pincher was replaced as Tory deputy chief whip, the role he resigned yesterday, by former junior housing minister Kelly Tolhurst.
A source in Downing Street revealed that Boris Johnson spoke today with a Tory MP who was with one of the men who was allegedly touched by Mr Pincher.
“The report given was disturbing enough to make the Prime Minister feel more upset by it all,” the source said.
Mr Johnson said he was waiting for a formal investigation to begin before suspending Mr Pincher’s Tory whip.
A No10 spokesman suggested earlier yesterday that, with Mr Pincher’s resignation as deputy chief whip, the prime minister would consider the matter settled.
But two of the party’s most senior female backbenchers demanded that Mr. Johnson is acting more strongly as further allegations against the MP come to light.
Angela Rayner, deputy leader of the Labor Party, claimed tonight that Mr. Johnson was “kicked and shouted to take any action whatsoever” about Mr. Pincher.
“He simply can not be trusted to do the right thing,” she said of the prime minister.
‘This whole scandal is yet another proof of his appalling judgment. It is time for conservative MPs to show this chaotic prime minister the door before he can do any more damage. ‘
Wendy Chamberlain, chief whip of the Liberal Democrats, said: ‘It should never have taken Boris Johnson so long to act and withdraw the whip.
“Once again, it looks like Johnson should have been forced to do the right thing.
“There can be no cover-ups or excuses anymore. If this investigation confirms these serious allegations, Chris Pincher will surely have to resign. ‘
Former Tory ministers Caroline Nokes and Karen Bradley, who are both now chairing select committees, said today that the Conservative Party should display a ‘zero-tolerance policy’ on sexual misconduct and demanded that Mr. Pincher is stripped of the whip.
Other critics pointed out that Neil Parish resigned as MP from Tiverton and Honiton for watching pornography in the Commons – something less than an alleged sexual assault.
This led to the by-election last week where the Lib Dems overthrew a Tory majority of more than 24,000 to take the seat.
Mr Pincher’s majority in Staffordshire is 20,000, but the seat was held by Labor for 13 years before being elected in 2010.
Mr Pincher’s majority in his Staffordshire constituency is 20,000, but the seat was held by Labor for 13 years before being elected in 2010.
In the photo: The incident took place in the exclusive Carlton club in London
Mr Parish was also one of those who called for tougher action yesterday, telling LBC: ‘The first thing they did to me, and I made a big mistake, is that they withdrew the whip. There can be no double standards. ‘
On the question of whether Mr. Johnson believes the issue has been settled and dusted off, a no. A 10-year-old spokesman told reporters earlier today: “He (Mr Pincher) has resigned from that position, so I am not aware of any kind of government inquiry.”
He added that whether to remain an MP ‘is a matter for him (Mr Pincher) as an individual.’
But in their letter, Ms Nokes and Ms Bradley said: “The party and, by extension, the government run the risk of serious reputational damage through the current approach.”
One MP who was at the event at the Carlton Club on Wednesday claimed to the Guardian that Mr. Pincher was so drunk ‘he could barely get up’.
It also emerged that in February he was given the key role in enforcing party discipline, despite allegations of his own lack of self-control.
Mr Pincher publicly apologized in 2017 and resigned as a whip after being accused by a Tory candidate of making an unwanted pass at him.
And Politco today identified Mr Pincher as the Tory MP who said he required an ‘attendee’ to accompany him to opportunities to keep him out of trouble, something the Conservatives deny.