July 7th 2023.
Chris Pincher, the MP for Tamworth, has been recommended for an eight-week suspension from the House of Commons after an inquiry found he 'groped' two men at a London club last year. But this punishment does not go far enough. In any other workplace, such an act would likely result in dismissal.
The acts of which Pincher is accused are abhorrent. One witness said Pincher touched his arm and neck, then 'squeezed' his bottom, while another witness claimed he 'groped' both his bottom and testicles. This is a sexual crime against two individuals and must be treated as such. But instead, Pincher was recommended to receive a slap on the wrist rather than permanent expulsion from the Tory Party.
The consequences of this eight-week suspension may be greater than expected, because if the ban is backed by MPs in a Commons vote, it will trigger a recall petition in Tamworth, meaning a by-election will occur if 10% of registered voters in the constituency sign a petition calling for one. It should not be up to the constituents of Tamworth to hand down a tougher penalty on Chris Pincher than the Prime Minister.
Boris Johnson is also implicated in this scandal. He was aware of Pincher's inappropriate behaviour and allegations against him, yet promoted him to Minister. Yesterday, when asked about the Pincher situation during a podcast interview, Johnson seemingly mocked the scandal by snoring and pretending to fall asleep. This moment epitomised the culture of shrugging in the face of wrong-doing, which has led to a lack of trust in politicians and government.
Pincher's excuse that he had drunk 'far too much' does not hold up either. Alcohol does not make you sexually assault people - it is the desire to do so that stops us. With such a petty recommended suspension for Pincher, we must ask ourselves if Westminster really does take sexual assault as seriously as it should. We need to be clear that sexual assault is an unacceptable behaviour, and perpetrators of this crime should be swiftly removed from the Conservative Party and lose their job.
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