Saturday 2 July 2022 04:27 PM Tory MP for Tamworth and ex-deputy whip Chris Pincher is seeking 'professional ... trends now
The Tory MP who allegedly groped two men at a posh member's club in London has said he is now seeking 'professional medical support' and 'respects' 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, has also said today he would 'cooperate fully' with an inquiry into his behaviour.
The action to suspend the Tory whip from Mr Pincher - which was being demanded by prominent backbenchers - has now been taken after a formal complaint about him was made to Parliament's harassment watchdog.
The Tory MP for Tamworth previously admitted that he had 'embarrassed himself and other people', after drinking too much at the elite Carlton Club in London.
Chris Pincher has been suspended as a Tory MP after a formal complaint was made to 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 whilst an inquiry is underway, and I will cooperate fully with it.
'As I told the Prime Minister, I drank far too much on Wednesday night, embarrassing myself and others and I am truly sorry for the upset I caused.
'The stresses of the last few days, coming on top of those over the last several months, have made me accept that I will benefit from professional medical support.
'I am in the process of seeking that 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 keep the party whip.
Boris Johnson had been told to strip the Tamworth MP of the Tory whip as it emerged he was handed the key role enforcing party discipline in February despite allegations about his own lack of self control
Former ministers Caroline Nokes and Karen Bradley, who both now chair Commons select committees, said the party had to display a 'zero tolerance policy' on sexual misconduct
The two senior female Tories today wrote to Mr Johnson demanding Pincher have the whip removed pending an investigation
A spokeswoman for Conservative chief whip Chris Heaton-Harris said: 'Having heard that a formal complaint has been made to the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme, the Prime Minister has agreed with the Chief Whip that the whip should be suspended from Chris Pincher while the investigation is ongoing.
'We will not pre-judge that investigation. We urge colleagues and the media to respect that process.'
It was also announced last night that Mr Pincher has been replaced as Tory deputy chief whip, the role he resigned yesterday, by former junior housing minister Kelly Tolhurst.
