Chris Pincher: Disgraced Tory MP was dubbed a ‘pound shop Harvey Weinstein’ by former accuser

A former party activist said Pincher told him he’d ‘go far in the Conservative Party’ as he untucked his shirt

Boris Johnson is facing calls to expel Chris Pincher after he dramatically quit his role as the party’s deputy chief whip following a “drunken incident”.

The MP for Tamworth is alleged to have assaulted two fellow guests at the Carlton Club – a Tory Party private members’ club in London’s Piccadilly – on Wednesday evening.

In his resignation letter to the PM, Pincher said: “Last night I drank far too much. I’ve embarrassed myself and other people which is the last thing I want to do and for that I apologise to you and to those concerned.

“I think the right thing to do in the circumstances is for me to resign as deputy chief whip. I owe it to you and the people I’ve caused upset to, to do this.”

Pincher went on to assure Johnson that he would “continue to have my full support from the back benches, and I wish you all the best as you deal with aftershocks of covid and the challenges of international inflation”.

The letter ended by saying that it “has been the honour of my life to have served in Her Majesty’s Government.”

🚨 EXCLUSIVE: The Tory deputy chief whip has sensationally quit tonight after allegedly drunkenly groping two men last night, The Sun can revealhttps://t.co/R6boMuJvY6

— Noa Hoffman (@hoffman_noa) June 30, 2022

Wednesday’s incident is not the first time Pincher has found himself at the centre of sexual misconduct allegations.

The Tory MP referred himself to the police in 2017 following an accusation he made an unwanted sexual advance at former Olympic rower and Conservative activist Alex Story.

He was accused of acting like a “pound shop Harvey Weinstein” at the time, as the allegations coincided with dozens of complaints being made about the Hollywood film producer.

Writing in the Mail on Sunday, Story said in 2001 Pincher had untucked his shirt, massaged his neck and told him: “You’ll go far in the Conservative Party.”

Pincher replied at the time: “I do not recognise either the events or the interpretation placed on them by The Mail on Sunday.

“Whatever may or may not have happened or been said was obviously many years before I became an MP. If Mr Story has ever felt offended by anything I said then I can only apologise to him.​”

Hang on, I thought this "Chris Pincher stands down as Tory whip" story sounded familiar.

From 2017: https://t.co/j5LCXDskW2

— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) June 30, 2022

Story has run for parliament three times, although has failed to ever become an MP.

After the elevation of Timothy Kirkhope MEP to the House of Lords in October 2016, Story was asked by the region’s returning officer to take the vacant seat.

To be returned, Story needed the Conservative Party to re-nominate him, which they refused to do.

He (unsuccessfully) asked the High Court to intervene following the decision.

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