Last night, the government was rocked by yet another sex scandal involving one of its MPs this time, deputy chief whip Chris Pincher. ", My statement on why Ive lost confidence in the Prime Minister pic.twitter.com/NS4kxidOD1. All three women accuse him of unwanted sexual comments and sexual touching, the newspaper said, and the latter also accuses the MP of having used cocaine at her home. The Guildford MP quit her job as skills and apprenticeships minister minutes after Mr Johnson won the Tory leadership race, saying she had "grave concerns about leaving the EU without a deal". After the vote, she said: "For me no-deal was always the most profoundly un-Conservative policy you could possibly have.". Updated: 22:09, 12 Feb 2023 BRITAIN should not be giving foreign aid cash to China, the development Minister vowed yesterday. What was claimed Of the 635 MPs in the House of Commons some have been accused of spousal abuse or writing bad cheques, or have been arrested for fraud, drug-related charges, shoplifting or drink driving, or have bankrupted at least two businesses, have bad credit, or are defendants in lawsuits. Aitken launched a failed libel action against The Guardian and Granada, claiming he had quit his ministerial post to fight what he said was the cancer of bent andtwisted journalism. The complainant, who is now 29, contacted the Conservative Party on learning that Khan was standing to be elected in 2019. Civil cases have a lower burden of proof than a criminal case, meaning the claimant must prove their case is true on "a balance of probabilities" rather than "beyond reasonable doubt". Ursula von der Leyen had been set to visit Britain and meet the King. "I have, and will always, put the residents of Sevenoaks and Swanley front and centre of my work in Westminster.". Boris Johnson's aim of uniting his party over Brexit has suffered a number of blows in his first week in parliament, as ministers resigned and he sacked 21 of his own MPs, losing his slim majority. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Johnson's government hit by 50 resignations Newly appointed Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi says he still 'trusts' PM on LBC PM's leadership rocked by series of resignations last night No10 indicates PM determined to continue in office Johnson will appear before a committee of MPs this afternoon The most high-profile of the resignations from outside of the Cabinet, Mr Chalk said that he could not "defend the indefensible". Former Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe, Ronald Dumont/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images. A former health minister, the Wimbledon MP was sacked last year from his role as Conservative vice-chairman for London for voting for a legal guarantee of a final Brexit deal. A long-term opponent of Brexit, and Mr Johnson, the Wantage MP said voting against the government was a "decision I have been wrestling with for some days" but he believed it was "the right thing to do". The former attorney general revealed before the vote he was going to rebel, and has previously said he would stop a no-deal Brexit even if it means Jeremy Corbyn becomes prime minister. "He has now been bailed to a date in mid-June, pending further inquiries. The Sunday Times also reported allegations that Warburton had failed to declare a 100,000 loan from a Russian businessman something he has denied. A late Victorian financial and property tycoon he amassed a fortune by exploiting the religious devotion and the temperance crusades of that era, said HistoryToday. "We've seen this is other areas, such as the financial services industry and the construction industry," she added. In a tweet she said: "It is with a heavy heart that I have this morning tendered my resignation to the Prime Minister. ", He added: "Parliament has the same responsibilities towards its staff as any other workplace and it must live up to them. Chris Skidmore said the Prime Minister's actions were "tantamount to a cover-up of sexual abuse in the workplace". Video, Russian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, Sunak facing Tory revolt over internet safety law, US-made cheese can be called 'gruyere' - court, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus, Alex Murdaugh's legal troubles are far from over, Sonic boom heard as RAF Typhoon jets escort plane, Nelson's 97th-minute stunner gives Arsenal victory, Walkie Talkie architect Rafael Violy dies aged 78, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61. Boris Johnson agreed that sexual misconduct would be "grounds for dismissal" for ministers when asked about the newspaper's report at Prime Minister's Questions in April. It is the second time Mr Pincher has quit the whips' office, having resigned as a junior whip in November 2017 following a complaint that he made an unwanted pass at the former Olympic rower and Conservative candidate Alex Story. VideoRussian minister laughed at for Ukraine war claims, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. The former frontbencher confirmed he will not stand again in the next general election. Having been the Newbury MP for 19 years, the loyal Conservative said he hopes he will have the whip restored and would not stand as an independent at the next general election as he would not want to make it difficult for a possible Tory successor. The farmer later claimed that on the first occasion, he had been trying to look at pictures of tractors before accidentally clicking on an adult website. An East Lancashire MP has come under fire for taking a partly expenses paid skiing trip to a swanky Alpine resort. Mr Sunak said in his letter of resignation that the "public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously", adding that "our approaches are fundamentally too different". The Tories will decide whether to suspend him from the party when the investigation concludes. Will the Lockdown Files change Westminsters WhatsApp ways? Tory chief whip Chris Heaton-Harris has asked the unnamed serving MP to stay away from parliament while the probe, led by specialist officers, continues. 28 Nov," tweeted Joyce Ramgatie,. Mr Pincher said he had "embarrassed myself and other people" after having had "far too much" to drink this week. Last week, the former prime minister Boris Johnson sparked a furious outcry when he backed a bill which would unilaterally scrap part of the current Brexit deal. "We at The Children's Society have so valued his passion and dedication to his brief and his genuine heart to want to improve childrens lives. Before his sentencing, the judge presiding over the case said the charges represent as serious an offence of perjury as I have had experience of and have been able to find in the books, reported the BBC at the time. pic.twitter.com/vZ1APB1ik1, In his first morning round of interviews after the newly appointed Chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi told Tom Swarbrick at Breakfast on LBC this morning that he didn't believe Mr Sunak and Mr Javid took a 'coward's way out.'. Quit last night writing: The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously.I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning., Left the government last night within minutes of the Chancellor, writing: I regret that I can no longer continue in good conscience.. The 2009 expenses scandal eventually saw five MPs and two peers jailed as a result of police investigation into false expenses claims. We may not have always been popular, but we have been competent in acting in the national interest. I can no longer pirouette around our fractured values. I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.My letter to the Prime Minister below. Phillip Lee, an ex-justice minister, and a prominent supporter of a second EU referendum, quit the Tories in dramatic fashion when he timed his resignation letter to be delivered at the moment Mr Johnson stood up at the dispatch box in the Commons. Thank you for all youve done in this vital role.". It is hard I won't pretend it isn't.". Andrew Bridgen, MP for North West Leicestershire In January, the MP called for Mr Johnson to stand down and announced he had submitted a letter of no confidence. The Tamworth MP is now facing calls to lose the whip entirely after the Sun reported that he had allegedly groped two men. Felicity Buchan left government calling the "current situation untenable". Speaking to the BBC at the time, the 65-year-old said: The situation was, funnily enough it was tractors I was looking at, so I did get into another website with sort of a very similar name and I watched it for a bit, which I shouldnt have done. The Metropolitan Police said it received a report relating to the alleged sexual offences in January 2020. Tory MPs have been placed on a three-line whip an instruction from party enforcers that they must take part in proceedings for Monday, while Cabinet ministers are expecting a call over the weekend. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, A Tory MP has been arrested for sexual assault, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). The sex assault arrest comes after Parliament was rocked by a fresh Pestminster scandal amid a recent flurry of cases. Parliaments Independent Expert Panel also ruled he came up behind the woman in his Westminster office and touched her inappropriately". An MP for two different constituencies for a total of 32 years, he said he will not stand at the next election as he believes it is "unfair" to present constituents with a "conflict of interest between my views and those of the party". But the case collapsed and Aitken admitted lying during the libel case. Two Tory peers (Taylor and Hanningfield) have indeed been found guilty of abusing their . The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. The 48-year-old, who was the first Conservative MP elected in. Resigned this morning after being sent out on TV to defend the PM days ago, saying Downing Street briefings "have now been found to be inaccurate". ", Minister for Schools Robin Walker also resigned this morning in his letter to the prime minister, he said: "Unfortunately, recent events have made it clear to me that our great party, for which I have campaigned all of my adult life, has become distracted from its core missions by a relentless focus on questions of leadership.". Scotland Yard confirmed in a statement that a man aged in his 50s has been arrested on suspicion of indecent assault, sexual assault, rape, abuse of position of trust and misconduct in public office. "The PM is right to apologise. 2023 BBC. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. Get UK politics insight with our free daily email briefing straight to your inbox. LBC The Online Safety Bill was introduced in March under Boris Johnson, and has been repeatedly altered during its passage through Parliament. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. There comes a time when you have to look at your own personal integrity and that time is now.". Our verdict Incorrect. It is the third time that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has backed down in the face of rebellious backbenchers since taking power in October.