Former Conservative MP Chris Pincher found to have committed sexual misconduct
Tamworth MP Chris Pincher faces suspension after a parliamentary committee found that he had committed sexual misconduct at a private members’ club last year.
Mr Pincher, who was the Government’s Deputy Chief Whip at the time, was investigated by the Committee on Standards following allegations that he had groped two men following a Conservative Friends of Cyprus event in June 2022. The Committee on Standards accepted the evidence of the two men, a House of Lords employee and a civil servant, that Pincher had inappropriately touched them, groped their bottoms and in one man’s case groped his testicles. The incident was witnessed by two serving MPs, both of whom reported it to the Chief Whip.
Mr Pincher lost the Conservative Party Whip following the allegations, and now sits as an independent MP. He now faces a recommended eight-week suspension from Parliament and a possible recall petition, which could lead to his removal as an MP.
The Committee, a cross-party group made of both MPs and lay members, said in its report that Mr Pincher’s conduct had been “especially grave” due to his powerful position at the time of the misconduct. His victims had told the Committee that in addition to the distress Mr Pincher’s conduct had caused, they also feared negative professional consequences. The report went on to state:
Whether Mr Pincher intended to abuse that position of power is immaterial. Objectively, he did.
We welcome the finding of the Committee that Mr Pincher’s misconduct remained an abuse of power despite having taken place at an ‘after hours’ event. As we have argued many times on behalf of our clients, a perpetrator does not cease occupying a position of power merely because they are outside the workplace. Many clients have told us that the prospect of interacting with their abuser professionally is a source of ongoing anxiety and distress, particularly if employers or other authority figures have failed to adequately address the misconduct or safeguard the victim from retaliation.
If you have been a victim of sexual harassment or misconduct in the workplace or otherwise, you have a right for this to be taken seriously and dealt with properly, especially where there has been an abuse of power. You may also be able to claim compensation.
If you would like to investigate the possibility of making a claim please feel free to get in touch with our team of expert solicitors today. We assist clients on a no-win no-fee basis, and have recently launched a therapy fund for our clients, to ensure that those who would benefit from mental health support do not need to wait until the end of their case to receive it.