Boris Johnson is under renewed pressure to say what he knew and about the sex pest claims surrounding Tory MP Chris Pincher when he gave him a plum job as a party whip.
Downing Street admitted on Monday that the Prime Minister was aware was aware of “reports and speculation” about Pincher’s behaviour before appointing him deputy chief whip.
On Friday, Downing Street insisted Johnson was “not aware of any specific allegations” about the MP when he made him Deputy Chief Whip.
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But on Monday, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman clarified that comment to say he wasn’t aware of specific allegations “being looked at” at the time.
The words are reflected an inevitable change of tone from the Prime Minister’s office after a weekend of revelations about Pincher’s behaviour.
The deputy chief resigned on Thursday night after embarrassing himself by groping two men while drunk in an exclusive London club.
It was Friday afternoon before the PM withdrew the Conservative whip and there followed a slew of allegations against Pitcher on the weekend.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said on Monday that Johnson was aware of “media reports that others had seen over the years and some allegations that were either resolved or did not progress to a formal complaint”.
Former Johnson adviser turned sworn enemy, Dominic Cummings, alleged the Prime Minister had jokingly referred to MrPincher as “Pincher by name, pincher by nature”.
Downing Street refused to deny this on Monday, saying: “I’ve seen those unsubstantiated source quotes - I don’t intend to respond to them.”
Asked why questions had not been raised at time of the appointment, the spokesman said: “This was an individual who had already served as a minister and under other Prime Ministers.
“In the absence of a formal complaint it was not appropriate to stop an appointment on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations.”
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