Chris Pincher: Ex-senior civil service member says No 10 is telling the truth

No 10 was not truthful when it claimed that the PM had not received formal complaints about Chris Pincher’s behavior, as the Foreign Office's former top civil servant has stated.

Chris Pincher: Ex-senior civil service member says No 10 is telling the truth

No 10 was not truthful when it claimed that the PM had not received formal complaints about Chris Pincher’s behavior, as the Foreign Office's former top civil servant has stated.

Simon McDonald stated that the PM was briefed on an inquiry into Mr Pincher, then a Foreign Office Minister.

Minister Michael Ellis confirmed that Mr Johnson was made aware of the Pincher complaint.

He said that the PM did not recall the conversation immediately.

He added, "As soon he was reminded of this, the No10 press office corrected their public line."

After being accused of sexual misconduct, Tamworth MP, Mr Pincher, was removed from office as a Conservative MP. Pincher claims he is in search of professional medical support, and denies any misconduct.

BBC has reached out to him for comment.

Downing Street previously stated that Mr Johnson did not know of any specific allegations against Mr Pincher. He appointed him deputy chief whip in February. This was a role where he was responsible to enforce discipline among Conservative MPs.

Will Quince, children's minister, stated Monday that he had been given a "categorical assurance" by the prime minister that he was unaware of any particular allegation or complaint against the former deputy chief whip.

BBC News later revealed that the prime minister was aware of a formal complaint against the MP.

Lord McDonald's has now disputed the version of No 10 in a strong-worded letter addressed to the parliamentary standard commissioner.

Lord McDonald's most shocking line was his comparison of Downing Street statements with "telling truth and crossing your fingers at once and hoping that people don't become too forensic in their subsequent questions".

This is a daily occurrence in which ministers are sent out with lines of men to disintegrate the statements within hours. It is not only humiliating for them but also a threat to the trust of the leadership of the party and the country.

There is a growing exasperation from the Cabinet, and within the Conservative Party about the inability of No 10, to focus on the business side of government rather than firefighting crises over the prime minister's ability to tell the truth.

Senior ministers, who had assumed that Boris Johnson would be their leader in the next general election for the past 10 days, are now not so certain.

Even those who are still supportive of Downing Street's goals see them as unable to defend their cause.

Chris has more to say.

Lord McDonald, the Foreign Office's highest-ranking civil servant, stated that a group "complained" to him about Mr Pincher's behavior in the summer 2019.

"In substance, these allegations were very similar to the ones about his behavior at the Carlton Club."

Two men were allegedly groped by Mr Pincher at the London private members club last week.

Lord McDonald's stated that an investigation had confirmed the complaint and added that "Mr Pincher apologised for the indecent behaviour and promised to not repeat it."

He said that Johnson was given an in-person briefing about the investigation's initiation and results.

Interview with BBC Radio 4's Today program: Dominic Raab, Deputy Prime Minister, said that "I have talked this with the prime minster over the past 24 hours, and it is not my understanding he was directly briefed."

When he was summoned to Parliament to answer questions about the matter, Michael Ellis, Cabinet Office minister, confirmed that Mr Johnson had been "made aware" of the issue in late 2019, but had not "immediately” recalled the conversation.

"He was informed that the permanent secretary had taken all necessary actions and that there was no problem with him remaining as a minister."

William Wragg, a Conservative MP, criticized Ellis and said that ministers should ask themselves "if they can tolerate still being part of government".

John Penrose wanted to know how many principles of public life had to be broken before ministers could say "enough is enough".

Conservative MP and critic of the PM Mark Harper said that whips were responsible to pastoral care for their party's MPs, and that Mr Pincher's appointment as deputy chief whip demonstrated "a complete disregard for the safety and welfare of my parliamentary colleagues".

The former chief whip stated that he was "quite disturbed" by the situation and added that ministers appeared to have been "lied to" by Downing Street people before being released to the media.

Angela Rayners, Labour's deputy leader, said that it was now evident that the prime minister knew of the seriousness and decided to make this man a senior government official. He refused to act, and then lied about his knowledge."

Daisy Cooper, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, stated that Lord McDonald's has shed a new light upon this murky coverup. Boris Johnson must admit to his lies and come clean.