Boris Johnson finished? Revelations he knew about allegations against Chris Pincher MP before appointing him as Deputy Chief Whip could be last straw – Steve Cardownie

The heat on Boris Johnson was significantly turned up yesterday with the revelation that he had been personally briefed about Chris Pincher MP before he appointed him as Deputy Chief Whip.

Boris Johnson was told about allegations made against Chris Pincher MP before appointing him as Deputy Chief Whip (Picture: Leon Neal/Getty Images)

A former senior civil servant, Simon McDonald, said that Johnson had been briefed “in person” about an investigation in 2019 into Pincher, who was a Foreign Office minister at the time.

Dominic Raab MP, the then Foreign Secretary, lamely said on television yesterday that it was “news to me” and then brought McDonald’s account into doubt by saying that he did not think that it was “factually accurate”.

If it is found that it was indeed “factually accurate”, then he and Johnson should fall on the same sword for attempting to mislead the public.

Pincher was suspended as a Conservative Party MP last week over allegations that he groped two men at the Carlton Club, a private members club in London.

Last Monday, Downing Street said that Mr Johnson was not aware of any specific allegations against Mr Pincher when he appointed him as Deputy Chief Whip in February.

However, according to Lord McDonald, in the summer of 2019 some officials had “complained to me about Mr Pincher’s behaviour” and “in substance, the allegations were similar to those made about his behaviour at the Carlton Club”.

He goes on to say that an investigation upheld the complaint and “Mr Pincher apologised and promised not to repeat the inappropriate behaviour”, adding “Mr Johnson was briefed in person about the initiation and outcome of the investigation”.

Yet another day in the life of this Conservative government under the leadership of Boris Johnson and his lackey Dominic Raab. These people obviously believe that they are beyond reproach, that the public at large are fools and should be treated with disdain.

It comes to a pretty pass when a former senior civil servant, now sitting in the House of Lords, takes to the airways to denounce Downing Street’s version of events.

So far it seems that no matter what Johnson has done, he has gotten away with it – perhaps this will be the last straw.