Wales Secretary Simon Hart stated that he was “very sad” about the situation, but insisted that the future of Chris Pincher was up to the Conservative chief whip to decide.
The Tamworth MP resigned from government after admitting he had consumed “far too much” alcohol and “embarrassed myself and others” on a night out, prompting critics to claim the Conservative Party is “wallowing in sleaze.”
A cabinet minister has refused to comment on the future of a Tory MP accused of groping two men, despite Labour’s demand that he be expelled from the party.
He added that a complaints procedure must be followed.
Mr. Pincher, 52, resigned as deputy chief whip after admitting he had consumed “far too much” alcohol on a night out and “embarrassed me and others.”
The Tamworth representative said in a letter to the prime minister, “I apologize to you and those affected.”
As deputy chief whip, he was responsible for maintaining party discipline and ensuring that government business at Westminster ran smoothly.
A government source told that Mr. Pincher “groped two men in front of others” at the Carlton Club in the St. James’s neighborhood of central London.
According to the source, one of them was a member of parliament, and the second may also be one.
The controversy has prompted calls for Mr. Pincher to be stripped of the whip, which would result in his suspension from the parliamentary group and require him to sit as an independent without the party’s support.
Mr. Pincher has been a member of parliament since 2010 and was re-elected with a majority of more than 19,000 in the most recent election.
In the wake of two recent bruising elections, the Conservatives will be anxious to avoid a third by-election.
“This is not the first occurrence”
Mr. Hart stated that: “This makes me extremely sad, and it makes me sad for everyone involved in these events.
“Something has gone disastrously wrong.
“There is a procedure, and I believe it is essential that it be followed.”
He added: “I believe it is entirely appropriate for the chief whip and others to weigh in on the appropriate course of action today.
“Those who have been affected by this or who wish to file a complaint are free to do so.
“The chief whip’s investigation and determination of next steps are not contingent on a complaint being filed; they can occur regardless.
“Let’s let today play out, let the chief whip do his job today, and I believe we’ll have a very different conversation as the day progresses.”
When asked if he hoped the matter would be swept under the rug, he responded: “Certainly not.
“This is not the first occurrence, and I fear it will not be the last. This occurs in the workplace on occasion.”
‘Serious questions’ for PM
Mr. Pincher’s second resignation from the whips’ office.
In November 2017, Downing Street reported that he “voluntarily referred himself to the party’s complaints procedure and the police.”
The Mail on Sunday reported that he was accused of making an unwanted advance on former British rower and Conservative activist Alex Story.
Mr. Pincher told the newspaper, “I apologize to Mr. Story if anything I’ve ever said has ever offended him.”
The following year, Theresa May reappointed him to the whips’ office.
Previously, Mr. Pincher held the positions of Minister for Europe and the Americas and minister for housing.
Additionally, he writes a column about alcoholic beverages for The Critic magazine. The headline of a recent article was “Fall into the gin trap.”
Ellie Reeves, a Labour front-bencher, responded to the latest allegations by stating, “There are real questions about how the deputy chief whip got his job in the first place, given that he was previously forced to resign from the government due to similar allegations.
Wendy Chamberlain, chief whip of the Liberal Democrats, stated, “Boris Johnson also has serious questions to answer as to why he appointed Chris Pincher to a position with significant safeguarding responsibilities despite previously raised concerns about him.
It is the latest scandal to rock the Conservative government, following the partygate scandal in which Mr. Johnson was fined for violating lockdown regulations.
Neil Parish resigned from the Conservative Party in May after admitting to viewing pornographic material in the House of Commons.
Imran Ahmad Khan was expelled from the party for sexually assaulting a minor.
The Conservatives are not the only party currently facing allegations of sleaze.
Patrick Grady, an SNP member of the House of Commons, was threatened with suspension earlier this month after an allegation of sexual misconduct was confirmed by a parliamentary investigation.
Ian Blackford, the Westminster leader of the SNP, has faced calls to resign due to his response to the incident.
