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Prime Minister Boris Johnson was briefed on a formal investigation into Chris Pincher in 2019, when Pincher was Foreign Minister, Downing Street confirmed on Tuesday.
It was after a former supreme civil servant questioned the accuracy of a previous statement from Downing Street about Johnson’s perception of a formal complaint against Pincher.
Tamworth lawmaker Pincher resigned from the Whips office and suspended Conservative membership last week on suspicion of groping for two male guests at a Conservative private membership club.
Allegations put pressure on Downing Street, and in November 2017, Pincher, who resigned as a junior whip after complaining that he was a former Olympic rower and made an unnecessary pass to the Conservative Alex Story candidate, became deputy chief. I explained the reason. I will whiplash in February of this year.
Pincher was first brought back by Theresa May as Deputy Leader in January 2018 after introducing herself to both police and Conservative complaint proceedings.
When Johnson took office as Prime Minister in July 2019, Pincher was transferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as Minister of Europe and the United States and returned to the Whip Office for the third time in February 2022.
A spokesperson for Downing Street said on Friday that he was “unaware that the Prime Minister was aware” of a particular allegation against Pincher before appointing him. He also stated that it was not appropriate for Johnson to block the appointment of Pincher “on an unfounded claim” without a “formal complaint” against him.
On Monday, Downing Street changed its route, and a spokesperson said Johnson knew of “a complaint that was resolved or did not proceed to a formal complaint.”
A spokesperson said Johnson “advised some of the allegations made” but “there were no formal complaints at the time and it was not appropriate to suspend the appointment due to unfounded allegations.” It was considered. “
Sir McDonald: You don’t need 10 to be “clean”
However, Sir Simon McDonald, then Secretary of Foreign Affairs, who asked him to investigate the allegations against Pincher when he was in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2019, said the complaint was upheld on Tuesday.
He also said he had explained the investigation to a senior official in the Cabinet Office, who told him that Johnson had been directly informed.
McDonald made a revelation in a letter sent to Director of Standards Kathryn Stone.He also published a letter twitter..
This morning I wrote to the Parliamentary Commission for Standards – No 10 keeps changing their story and hasn’t told the truth yet. pic.twitter.com/vln9FU4V50
— Simon McDonald (@SimonMcDonaldUK) July 5, 2022
Talking about BBC Radio 4’s “Today” program on Tuesday morning, retired civil servants said they believed they needed to clean Downing Street.
“I think the words are ambiguous. I want to tell the truth and at the same time cross my fingers and hope that subsequent questions don’t make people too forensic. I don’t think that’s going to work,” he said. ..
McDonald’s said he challenged “the use of the word” solved “.” This “sounds like a happy and agreed conclusion.”
Foreign Minister Dominic Raab at the time concluded that the investigation of “inappropriate conduct” did not justify disciplinary action, and both he and McDonald said he and McDonald had told Pincher not to repeat the act again.
“We have referred to the Cabinet Office’s ethics and adequacy team, which considered this issue, and confirmed that there were no cases of proceeding under the Minister’s Code,” Rab said.
Downing Street: Johnson Forgot Briefing
Prime Minister Johnson confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that he had been briefed on “a complaint about Mr. Pincher, who was resolved by the Foreign Ministry,” and added that he believed he was said by “someone in the Cabinet Office.” It has been “a few months” since the complaint was investigated.
He also said it took time to prove the fact that Johnson was briefed.
“Last week it was the Prime Minister’s view. I don’t think in a formal briefing, but you’ll understand that it will take time to prove that he was briefed.”
“This goes back a few years. It was our belief that on Friday he was not informed of the particular incident.”
A spokesman said he updated the reporter on Monday after more information became available, but was unable to refer to the Foreign Ministry’s complaint at that time.
“The prime minister was unaware of the new specific allegations being seen when he offered the job,” a spokesman said.
“As we revealed yesterday, he was aware of both media speculation and resolved claims. It was the most complete picture we had yesterday we tried to set. This information. It takes time to establish.
“It was not raised as related to disciplinary action or ministerial norms, and the Prime Minister was notified but was not required to take any action.”
When asked if Johnson regretted having pincher appointed Deputy Leader, a spokesman said: It’s not something you want to see from anyone in public life. “
PA Media contributed to this report.
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Lily Zhou is a freelance writer who mainly covers the British news of The Epoch Times.
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