While director of communications at CCHQ in 2017, Ms Johnson (then Ms Symonds) questioned how Mr Pincher had ever ended up in the whip’s office in correspondence seen by Sky News. The exchanges followed Mr Pincher’s resignation as assistant whip following allegations of unwanted sexual advances by a Tory candidate. Politics Hub: Tory sleaze ‘infinitely worse’ since Major’s days Mr Pincher reported himself to the police and the Conservative Party’s whistleblowing procedure and was later cleared of any wrongdoing. Theresa May reappointed Mr Pincher to the whip’s office in 2018. A Number 10 spokesman said: “Mrs Johnson is a private person and has no role in ministerial appointments.” Earlier on Monday, Downing Street confirmed that Boris Johnson was aware of media reports about Mr Pincher’s behavior when he installed him as deputy leader, but felt he could not act on unsubstantiated allegations. The prime minister’s official spokesman said Mr Johnson was “not aware of any specific allegations being considered” and “in the absence of a formal complaint, it was not considered appropriate to terminate an appointment based on unfounded allegations”. But he said the prime minister “was aware of media reports that had been seen by others over the years and some complaints that were either resolved or did not proceed to a formal complaint”, so he sought advice from his integrity and ethics team before appointment. Pincher stepped down from the role last week after he was accused of drunkenly groping two men at a private members’ club in London on Wednesday. The Tory whip was only removed from him on Friday afternoon, meaning he is now an independent MP. Mr. Pincher denied the allegations to the newspapers that reported them. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 3:32 The Prime Minister is facing questions about how much she knew about allegations about Chris Pincher’s behavior before appointing him as deputy chief whip. It was the second time the MP for Tamworth in Staffordshire has resigned from the whip’s office after Conservative candidate Alex Story accused him of making an improper advance in 2017. Questions have been raised about what the prime minister knew before appointing Mr Pincher in February, with claims by former chief of staff Dominic Cummings that Mr Johnson referred to the MP as “Pincher by name, pincher by nature”. The prime minister’s official spokesman declined to comment on the allegation. Sir Keir Starmer told Sky News that appointing Mr Pincher as deputy leader was another example of poor judgment by Mr Johnson. “It’s poor judgment on the part of the Prime Minister, a man who puts himself above everyone else – and no, I’m afraid I don’t sympathize with him,” the Labor leader told Sky News political editor Beth Rigby. Asked if he would appoint Mr Pincher if he were prime minister, Sir Keir said: “No, I wouldn’t.” Labor leader Anneliese Dodds has written to the prime minister demanding answers, claiming Mr Johnson is “clearly happy to sweep sexual misconduct under the carpet to save his own skin”. Mr Pincher now faces an investigation by Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Complaints System after one of the men who was allegedly fondled last week at the Carlton Club made a formal complaint. In a statement over the weekend, Mr Pincher said he would co-operate fully with the investigation.
