Boris Johnson faces the Commons for first time since Chris Pincher groping scandal amid mounting backlash
BRUISED Boris Johnson will face MPs in the Commons today for the first time since the Chris Pincher groping scandal rocked Westminster.
The Prime Minister is expected to make a statement this afternoon about his eight-day foreign tour of leaders summits.
But MPs will likely use the opportunity to quiz the PM about what he knew of Pincher’s alleged perverse past.
Over the weekend 13 new claims about the former Tory were revealed in the media.
The Sun reported that a charity fund-raiser was allegedly groped by Pincher in a visit to his constituency office in 2018.
We also revealed that in 2013 a parliamentary worker in his early 20s allegedly woke up after passing out in Pincher’s flat to find the MP on top of him performing a sexual act.
Pincher denies the allegations.
READ MORE POLITICS
No10 denies that the PM had any knowledge of allegations made against the Tamworth MP when he was appointed to his role in February this year.
But insiders say that in 2020 Mr Johnson told aides: “He’s handsy, that’s a problem. Pincher by name, pincher by nature.”
Speaking on Sky News this morning education minister Will Quince repeated the No10 line that the PM was clueless.
He said: “I’ve been given categorical assurance that the Prime Minister was not aware of any specific allegation with regards to the former deputy chief whip.”
As Mr Johnson is set to face the music in the Commons, his approval rating among Tory members has taken a deep dive.
Most read in The Sun
A new poll from the website shows the PM’s popularity sits at -21.1 among his own party faithful.
Topping the chart with the biggest thumbs up from Tory voters is Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, followed by Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi.
The PM received praise for his trips abroad last month, which included a visit to Germany for the G7 and to Spain for the NATO summit.
But at home Tory rebels have grown increasingly restless and angry with their party leader.
Days after The Sun sensationally exposed details of Pincher's alleged drunken gropes on Thursday last week, enemies of Mr Johnson began to organise.
Plotters want to try and change the rules that determine when Tory MPs can try and vote BoJo out as their party leader.
A vote of no confidence in the PM was held last month, but Mr Johnson won it by 211 vote to 148.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
