Boris Johnson ‘forgot’ about Chris Pincher sexual misconduct briefing, says government minister

He needed some time to remember

The prime minister "did not immediately recall" being told about an investigation by the Foreign Office into alleged sexual misconduct from Chris Pincher, says the Cabinet Office minister. "Last week when fresh allegations arose, the prime minister did not immediately recall the conversation in late 2019 about the incident," minister Michael Ellis told Parliament.

He added that: "further inquiries will be made, but the position is that the prime minister acted with probity at all times."

It comes as a Downing Street spokesperson confirmed Johnson had been made aware in 2019, despite over the weekend maintaining that Johnson had no knowledge of any investigation. Tuesday's revelations mean Number 10 may have not been telling the truth during previous press briefings. Earlier that morning morning, a senior civil servant rocked Whitehall by publishing a letter claiming that Boris Johnson had been told "in person" about Chris Pincher's alleged wrongdoing in 2019. In an extraordinary intervention, the former permanent secretary in the Foreign Office for nearly five years published claims in a letter that Downing Street may have lied. Lord McDonald said: "The original No 10 line is not true and the modification is still not accurate. Mr Johnson was briefed in person about the initiation and outcome of the investigation. "There was a 'formal complaint'. Allegations were 'resolved' only in the sense that the investigation was completed; Mr Pincher was not exonerated. To characterise the allegations as 'unsubstantiated' is therefore wrong." Related Links

• Boris Johnson told 'in person' of Chris Pincher allegations in 2019, senior civil servant claims
• Chris Pincher: There is no current investigation into alleged groper, PM's spokesperson says
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