Birmingham MP Gary Sambrook on what Boris Johnson told MPs about Chris Pincher at the Carlton Club

Boris Johnson has been accused by a Birmingham MP of telling other MPs that they should have intervened to stop Chris Pincher drinking so much on the night he was accused of groping a staff member.

Johnson resigned as Prime Minister on Thursday (7 July). In a statement outside 10 Downing Street, he said that he will continue in the role until a new leader is elected.

Johnson was hit by a series of resignations over his handling of the Chris Pincher scandal prior to Thursday’s announcement.

Mr Pincher quit his job as deputy chief whip following claims he groped two men, however Mr Johnson knew about allegations against him as far back as 2019. It later emerged that the Prime Minister had “forgotten” about being told of previous allegations of “inappropriate” conduct.

Birmingham MP says Prime Minister’s comments were ‘insulting’

Before he handed in his resignation on Thursday, Johnson faced questions during Wednesday’s (6 July) Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQ’s) where the House of Commons chamber erupted into cheers and applause after Northfield MP Mr Sambrook told Johnson there is nothing left for him to do other than to take responsibility and resign.

At the PMQ’s, Gary Sambrook, a “red wall” MP of the 2019 intake and a 1922 Committee member, staunchly criticised Mr Johnson for telling MPs they should have intervened over Chris Pincher’s alleged behaviour at the Carlton Club.

The Birmingham Northfield MP described the Prime Minister’s comments as “insulting” and as an example of him constantly trying to deflect from the issue and “blaming other people” for his mistakes.

After calling for his resignation, a resounding applause broke out from the Opposition benches – a form of ovation which was immediately scolded by the Commons Speaker, who reminded members of Parliament that “this is not a debating society”.

Mr Sambrook said: “Yesterday, in an attempt to boost morale in the tearoom, the Prime Minister said at a table that there were seven people, MPs in the Carlton Club last week, that one of them should have tried to intervene to stop Chris (Pincher) from drinking so much.

“As if that wasn’t insulting enough to the people who did try to intervene that night, and also to the victims, that drink was the problem.”

He went on: “Isn’t it the example that the Prime Minister constantly tries to deflect from the issue, always tries to blame other people for mistakes and that at least (there is) nothing left for him to do other than to take responsibility and resign?”

Opposition MPs applauded, but were stopped by Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who told them: “You ought to be embarrassed by clapping. This is not a debating society. This is Prime Minister’s Questions.”

In response to Mr Sambrook, Mr Johnson said: “There is a very simple reason why they want me out, and that is because they know that otherwise we are going to get on and deliver our mandate and win another general election. And that is the reality.”

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