Conservative hopeful Daniel Korski has dropped out of the race to become London’s Tory mayoral candidate following a claim that he groped a television producer at Downing Street.
Daisy Goodwin alleged in newspaper articles published in The Times and Daily Mail she was touched inappropriately by Korski 10 years ago, when he was an advisor to the Cameron government.
Now, in a statement, Korski said he’s withdrawing from the race for City Hall but “categorically den(ies) any wrong doing” and described the allegation made against him as “baseless”.
It comes after he walked out of a candidates’ hustings on Monday night as the story broke.
Following Korski’s announcement, Conservative officials said the contest to be the party’s pick in next year’s mayoral election would proceed with the two other shortlisted candidates, Mozammel Hossain KC and Susan Hall, despite calls for the selection process to be reopened.
Samuel Kasumu, a former mayoral hopeful who failed to make the Conservative long list, was among those urging CCHQ to “put this right” through a fresh contest with “more direct involvement” from members.
The Leader podcast’s joined for the latest political analysis with Evening Standard City Hall editor Ross Lydall.
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