Chris Pincher, deputy chief whip of the Tory party, WITHDRAW after claiming he ‘touched two men drunk’ in the Conservative Party’s private members’ room, the Carlton Club
- Chris Pincher said he owed it to the Prime Minister and those he “upset” to resign
- The deputy chief whip allegedly touched drunk men at the event last night
- It is understood that Mr Pincher will remain as Conservative MP for Tamworth
The Conservative Party’s deputy chief whip resigned tonight after allegedly touching two men while he was drunk last night.
Chris Pincher admitted in a resignation letter that he had ’embarrassed himself and other people’ after drinking too much at the Tory private members’ club in London.
Mr Pincher has served as the MP for Tamworth since 2010 and was appointed deputy chief whip in February this year.
The letter said: ‘Last night I drank way too much.
‘I have embarrassed myself and other people, which is the last thing I want to do and for that I apologize to you and those involved.
‘I think the right thing to do in the circumstances is that I resign as Deputy Chief Whip. I owe it to you and the people I have upset to do so.
Chris Pincher, the Conservative Party deputy chief whip, resigned tonight after allegedly touching two men while drunk last night.
“I want to assure you that you will continue to receive my full support from the backbenchers, and I wish you all the best in dealing with Covid’s aftershocks and the challenges of international inflation.
“It has been the honor of my life to serve in Her Majesty’s Government.”
The Sun reports that Mr. Pincher was drinking at the Tory Party private members’ club – the Carlton Club – in Piccadilly when he allegedly assaulted two fellow guests.
This is the second time that Mr. Pincher is forced to leave the whip office after being accused of making a pass to former Olympic rower and conservative activist Alex Story, who was then 26.
This is the second time the Tory MP Pincher has been forced to resign from the whip office
He allegedly tried to take off Mr Story’s shirt after persuading him to return to his home in London, as well as massaging his neck while saying, ‘You will go far in the Conservative Party.’
Mr. Story told the Mail on Sunday that Mr. Pincher at one point left the room and said ‘just let me slip into something more comfortable’ before returning in a bathrobe ‘like a pound shop Harvey Weinstein’.
He was acquitted of an offense by a Conservative party.
The Carlton Club is a private-only venue set up by senior Tories in 1832 where conservative leaders traditionally receive lifelong memberships that were only open to men until a 2008 rule change under David Cameron.
Prior to that, the only full-fledged female member was Margaret Thatcher, who received honorary membership when she became party leader in 1975.
The club is a popular place for conservative MPs to drink to Parliament due to its exclusive membership which only allows members and guests of members.
Mr Pincher is not expected to lose the party whip, so will remain as a Conservative MP and avoid a by-election for the party.
Chris was first elected as the Conservative MP for Tamworth in May 2010, and was re-elected in December 2019 with a 19,364 majority.