Rishi Sunak could face yet another by-election after Parliament’s standards watchdog recommended former Conservative deputy chief whip, Chris Pincher be suspended from the commons for eight weeks over groping allegations. 

If that sanction is backed by MPs then it will automatically trigger a recall petition which would likely lead to a vacancy in the disgraced politician's Tamworth constituency.

There are already three by-elections due to be held on July 20. Two came about after Boris Johnson and his ally Nigel Adams resigned.

The third was prompted by the resignation of David Warburton amid allegations of sexual harassment and cocaine use.

Nadine Dorries had also indicated she will resign, though has not yet done so. 

READ MORE: Watchdog opens probe into grope claim Tory MP Chris Pincher

It was the allegations against Mr Pincher that ultimately hastened the downfall of Boris Johnson.

 

Last summer he was accused of drunkenly assaulting two men at the exclusive Carlton Club in London.

According to reports, Mr Pincher fondled the left buttock of a man in his 20s before moving his hand around to his groin shortly after buying a round of drinks.

A second man also alleged that he was drunkenly groped by Mr Pincher on the same night.

The incidents were witnessed by at least two MPs who alerted Chris Heaton-Harris, then chief whip.

The politician had to be thrown out of the club by Mark Fletcher, the Tory MP for Bolsover.

It was not the first time that allegations had been made against the politician. 

However, Downing Street’s story about what the prime minister knew of those historical claims changed over the following days. 

At first, No 10 said Mr Johnson had not been aware of “specific allegations” against Mr Pincher.

Junior minister Will Quince told numerous broadcasters that he had been given "categorical assurance that the Prime Minister was not aware of any serious specific allegation."

The next day, Downing Street confirmed that Mr Johnson had been aware of concerns about Mr Pincher’s conduct when he made him deputy chief whip. 

They admitted that Mr Johnson had been aware of “reports and speculation over the years with regards to this individual” when he appointed him to the whips’ office in February, but that “there were no specific allegations.”

However, the former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office said Downing Street had made "inaccurate claims". 

In a letter to the parliamentary standards commissioner, Lord McDonald said that Mr Johnson was "briefed in person about the initiation and outcome of the investigation". 

The letter alleges that statements released by No 10 were "not true" and the "modification is still not accurate". 

He said "There was a “formal complaint" and that "allegations were 'resolved' only in the sense that the investigation was completed.

"Mr Pincher was not exonerated. To characterise the allegations as 'unsubstantiated' is, therefore, wrong," he added.

According to Mr Johnson's former chief aide, Dominic Cummings, the Tory leader jokingly referred to the MP as "Pincher by name, pincher by nature".

Tory MPs condemned Mr Johnson’s handling of the affair. Sajid Javid was the first minister to resign, followed shortly by Mr Sunak. 

Mr Pincher has since claimed to be seeking “professional medical support.”

READ MORE: Boris Johnson under pressure over Chris Pincher claims

In their response to the watchdog's report, the Common's Standards Committee said Mr Pincher’s conduct “was completely inappropriate, profoundly damaging to the individuals concerned, and represented an abuse of power.”

“The breach we are considering is solely whether Mr Pincher has caused significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House as a whole, or of its Members generally.

“The perception that MPs can engage in such conduct with impunity does significantly impact public perception of the House and its Members.

“We therefore recommend that Mr Pincher be suspended from the service of the House for eight weeks.”

They said it was "self-evident that Mr Pincher’s conduct, which led to extensive public commentary in the media regarding the reputation and integrity of all MPs, had a significant negative impact on the reputation of the whole House.”

Mr Pincher’s conduct was also “deeply inappropriate and had a significant impact on the individuals involved”, the committee said, with one witness stating they had become “increasingly anxious” as a result of the incident.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner called on Mr Pincher to resign as an MP.

She said: “Chris Pincher’s actions are shocking. But what’s even worse, is the way the Conservative party protected him, even promoting him despite a previous investigation into his conduct.

“Chris Pincher should now do the decent thing and resign as an MP. The people of Tamworth and the surrounding villages deserve more from their Parliamentary representative.”