Chris Pincher | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2020 | |
| Government Deputy Chief Whip Treasurer of the Household | |
| In office 8 February 2022 – 30 June 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson |
| Preceded by | Stuart Andrew |
| Succeeded by | Kelly Tolhurst |
| In office 9 January 2018 – 25 July 2019 | |
| Prime Minister | Theresa May |
| Preceded by | Esther McVey |
| Succeeded by | Amanda Milling |
| Minister of State for Housing | |
| In office 13 February 2020 – 8 February 2022 | |
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson |
| Preceded by | Esther McVey |
| Succeeded by | Stuart Andrew |
| Minister of State for Europe and the Americas | |
| In office 25 July 2019 – 13 February 2020 | |
| Prime Minister | Boris Johnson |
| Preceded by | Alan Duncan |
| Succeeded by | Wendy Morton |
| Senior Whip Comptroller of the Household | |
| In office 15 June 2017 – 5 November 2017 | |
| Prime Minister | Theresa May |
| Preceded by | Mel Stride |
| Succeeded by | Chris Heaton-Harris |
| Member of Parliament for Tamworth | |
| In office 6 May 2010 – 7 September 2023 | |
| Preceded by | Brian Jenkins |
| Succeeded by | Sarah Edwards |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 24 September 1969 Walsall, Staffordshire, England |
| Political party | Independent (since 2022) |
| Other political affiliations | Conservative (1987–2022) |
| Alma mater | London School of Economics |
| Occupation | IT consultant |
Christopher John Pincher[1] (born 24 September 1969)[2] is a British former politician and member of the Conservative Party who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamworth from 2010 until his resignation in 2023.[3]
Pincher served as Government Deputy Chief Whip, and Treasurer of the Household from 2018 to 2019 and from February to June 2022.
Pincher was first elected as the Conservative MP for Tamworth at the 2010 general election, when he gained the seat from the Labour Party.[4] He first contested the seat in 2005.[5] He served as a parliamentary private secretary to Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond from 2015 to 2016.[6]
Pincher served as an assistant whip and Comptroller of the Household in 2017, before he resigned after being implicated in the 2017 Westminster sexual misconduct allegations, having been accused of sexual misconduct by Tom Blenkinsop and Alex Story. Two months later, in January 2018, he was appointed by Theresa May as Government Deputy Chief Whip and Treasurer of the Household. After Boris Johnson became prime minister in July 2019, Pincher was appointed Minister of State for Europe and the Americas. In the February 2020 cabinet reshuffle, he was appointed Minister of State for Housing. In February 2022, he returned to his former role of Government Deputy Chief Whip and Treasurer of the Household.
After allegedly groping two men while he was drunk, Pincher resigned as Deputy Chief Whip on 30 June 2022, and had the Conservative whip removed.[7] This triggered a scandal over his appointment to the role, as Johnson knew about the allegations but did not dismiss him, leading to a government crisis that ultimately resulted in Johnson's resignation. Pincher continued to sit as an MP for another year, but did not make any further contributions in the House of Commons.
Pincher announced in April 2023 that he would stand down at the next UK general election.[8] In its investigation of his conduct, the Commons Select Committee on Standards censured Pincher in a report published on 6 July 2023, labelling his actions profoundly damaging both to the reputation of Parliament and his victims, and an abuse of power. The committee recommended Pincher be suspended from Parliament for eight weeks.[9] On 7 September 2023, he announced his imminent resignation as an MP, which triggered the 2023 Tamworth by-election.[3]
- ^ "Who's Who". www.ukwhoswho.com.
- ^ "Christopher Pincher MP". BBC Democracy Live. BBC. Archived from the original on 12 September 2013. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
- ^ a b Gillings, Andy (7 September 2023). "MP Chris Pincher quits after losing groping appeal". BBC. BBC. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
- ^ "Labour MP of 14 years loses seat to Tories in Tamworth". Birmingham Post. 7 May 2009. Archived from the original on 24 December 2010. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
- ^ "Election 2005: Tamworth". BBC News. Archived from the original on 29 November 2006. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
- ^ "Christopher Pincher | About Chris | Bio". www.christopherpincher.com. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018. [better source needed]
- ^ "Chris Pincher MP seeking medical support after groping claim". BBC News. 2 July 2022.
- ^ "Tamworth MP Chris Pincher to stand down at next election". BBC News. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
- ^ House of Commons Committee on Standards, Christopher Pincher, Twelfth Report of Session 2022–23. Accessed: 6 July 2023.