This morning’s ongoing media round has thrown even more fuel on the Chris Pincher fire. Following ex-Foreign Office Permanent Secretary Sir Simon McDonald’s bombshell letter this morning, Dominic Raab had the task once again of spinning the latest unsustainable No.10 line to the press. Through plenty of coughing and spluttering, Raab insisted on the Today Programme that 

“Aside from the Westminster rumour mill, any allegation that had resulted in formal disciplinary action… whilst there was inappropriate behaviour [from Pincher], it didn’t trip the wire into disciplinary action… the individual who made the complaint did not want formal disciplinary action taken.”

Just minutes later, McDonald appeared on Today himself to once again take a sledgehammer to No.10’s line that Boris wasn’t briefed on Pincher’s behaviour in person in 2019, and Raab’s claims that since no “further disciplinary action” was taken, the matter was resolved:

“I disagree with that, and I dispute the use of the word ‘resolved’… the complaint was upheld… Number 10 have had five full days to get the story correct, and that still has not happened… it’s sort of telling the truth and crossing your fingers at the same time and hoping people aren’t too forensic in their subsequent questioning.”

In a matter of hours, the line has gone from “it’s not true” to “the PM didn’t know of any formal complaints”. Chaos.

Former MP Neil Parish has just reacted to the news that Chris Pincher will keep the Tory whip – for now – even though Parish himself lost the whip almost immediately:

“I can’t believe why they haven’t done it, because that was the first thing they did to me… I just feel that it’s double standards.”

He’s not wrong…

Hat-tip: Andy Ballantyne

Welsh Secretary Simon Hart beat around the bush on Sky this morning when asked what he thinks should happen to Chris Pincher. Eventually he just said “I hesitate to jump in because if I express a view – I’ve got my own private views… I think and I know what I’d like to see happen, you can probably tell what that is just from the way I’m trying to avoid answering your question.” The line that Pincher did the right thing and won’t have the whip suspended grows weaker by the minute…

The Sun has this evening forced the resignation of deputy chief whip Chris Pincher after he assaulted two guests during a late-night drinking session at the Carlton Club. According to the paper “several alarmed Tory MPs got in contact with the Tory whips office to complain about his behaviour”. This is the second time he’s had to resign from the whips’ office, having only been promoted to deputy in February.

In his resignation letter, Pincher confesses “last night I drank far too much. I’ve embarrassed myself and other people”.

Two big vacancies for the PM to fill now following the resignation of Dowden – there’ll surely have to be at least a mini-reshuffle before the Summer recess…

UPDATE: A website post from MP Theresa Villiers confirms Pincher had gone to the Carlton Club for a ‘Conservative Friends of Cyprus’ drinks reception. Guido’s told the event wrapped up around 9 pm.

UPDATE II: Guido understands that while Pincher did attend the ‘Conservative Friends of Cyprus’ reception, the alleged incidents took place after the event wrapped up.