Boris Johnson was made aware of a formal complaint about Chris Pincher's 'inappropriate behaviour' while he was a Foreign Office minister from 2019-20, according to reports. It is thought the Prime Minister knew about the issue, which triggered a disciplinary process into the MP's misconduct.
The news has now raised new questions about what Johnson was aware of before he appointed the MP to deputy chief whip. Downing Street confirmed on Monday that Mr Johnson knew of concerns about Mr Pincher’s conduct when he made him deputy chief whip in February.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said while he knew of claims that were “either resolved or did not progress to a formal complaint”, it was not considered appropriate to block the appointment based on 'unsubstantiated allegations'. However the BBC later reported that Mr Johnson was made aware of a formal complaint about Mr Pincher’s 'inappropriate behaviour' while the MP was a minister in the Foreign Office from 2019-20.
