MP Chris Pincher quits after losing groping appeal

Chris Pincher, former Tory whip, has resigned his seat after he lost an appeal against a proposed Commons suspension for grouping two men. 

It means the government will face another by-election. 

The Parliament’s standards committee found the Tamworth MP drunkenly groped the men at London’s Carlton Club. The committee said his “completely inappropriate” behaviour is an “abuse of power.”

Pincher has been sitting as an independent MP and had already announced he would stand down at the next general election.

In a statement on Thursday, Pincher said he came to the decision to resign after talking to his family and staff.

He said: “I do not want my constituents to be put to further uncertainty, and so in consequence I have made arrangements to resign and leave the Commons.”

It is set to be the ninth by-election since Rishi Sunak became prime minister.