Thirteen months after Chris Pincher groped two men at a London club, he has still not resigned as an MP.
Lots of other people have quit. The scandal led to a wave of ministerial resignations from Boris Johnson’s Cabinet – and ultimately to the collapse of Johnson’s government and his grudging exit from 10 Downing Street.
Johnson can take credit for that shambles, and for turning a blind eye to a formal complaint about Pincher’s “inappropriate behaviour” in 2019-20, then making him deputy chief whip.
These were not isolated incidents. Yet Pincher continues in the House of Commons.
Two prime ministers later, he remains the MP for Tamworth.
The voters of Staffordshire deserve better. Chris Pincher’s victims deserve better.
One of them has given a brave interview to i today, explaining just what happened last June – events that led to the unravelling of a government.
This man, who spoke on condition of anonymity, argues that Westminster remains an unsafe environment for young aides at the mercy of powerful people, some of whom act as if they have impunity.
He says of Pincher: “In no other workplace would he be allowed to continue. He should have done the honourable thing. If he was so very sorry he would have resigned at the time, but he didn’t.”
Nor has he done so at any point since. Why is Pincher waiting for voters to eject him? He squanders any claim to contrition.
We are far past the point of decency or dignity. Pincher should think of those he molested, resign from politics, and leave them to get on with their lives, untroubled by his behaviour.
