UK PM Rishi Sunak faces by-election headache as lawmaker Chris Pincher accused of groping resigns

Chris Pincher will leave the House of Commons more than a year after he was suspended from the ruling Conservative Party by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson

Sunak’s Conservative Party lost 2 of 3 parliamentary seats contested in July, and are trailing in opinion polls with a national election expected next year

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Published: 5:48pm, 7 Sep 2023Updated: 7:22pm, 7 Sep 2023

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faces another difficult vote to fill a vacant seat in parliament after a lawmaker who was given an eight-week suspension for groping two men at a London club last year announced he plans to resign.

Chris Pincher, who now sits as an independent, announced on Thursday he would leave the House of Commons more than a year after he was suspended from the ruling Conservative Party by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson last year.

Johnson’s initial perceived downplaying of the allegations added to pressure that ultimately led to Johnson’s resignation as prime minister.

Pincher had argued that his suspension was disproportionate. But he lost that appeal on Monday and faced removal by his constituents due to the length of the suspension.

UK MP Christopher Pincher has resigned. Photo: handout

“I do not want my constituents to be put to further uncertainty,” he said in a statement. “I have made arrangements to resign and leave the Commons.”