Chris Pincher, a British MP, was on Friday suspended from the Conservative Party over claims he assaulted two men, including a colleague, while intoxicated.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson reportedly spoke to a Conservative MP who was with one of the men attacked by the then-deputy chief whip on Wednesday night and ordered Mr Pincher's suspension.
“The account given was sufficiently disturbing to make the PM feel more troubled by all this,” a source told the PA news agency.
Mr Pincher announced he was resigning as the government’s deputy chief whip on Thursday, saying in a letter to Mr Boris Johnson that he had “embarrassed myself and others”.
He is known as a loyal Conservative and, in his role in the whip’s office, he ensured MPs voted with the party and maintained discipline among party members.
A spokeswoman for Conservative chief whip Chris Heaton-Harris said the decision to suspend Mr Pincher was taken after at least one accuser lodged a report with the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme, a parliamentary body that probes allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
“Having heard that a formal complaint has been made to the ICGS, the PM has agreed with the chief whip that the whip should be suspended from Chris Pincher while the investigation is ongoing,” the spokeswoman said.
“We will not prejudge that investigation. We urge colleagues and the media to respect that process.”
The scandal is another blow for the prime minister who has been punished by voters in recent by-elections.
He also had to win a confidence vote, caused primarily by his role in the partygate affair, during which lockdown-breaking parties were held in government offices, including No 10 Downing Street.
“I've embarrassed myself and other people which is the last thing I want to do and for that, I apologise to you and to those concerned,” Mr Pincher said in his resignation letter.
“I think the right thing to do in the circumstances is for me to resign as deputy chief whip. I owe it to you and the people I've caused upset to, to do this.”
He added that he would continue to lend his support from the back bench and wished his fellow party members the best as they continued to deal with rising inflation and the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It has been the honour of my life to have served in her majesty's government,” he said.
He has been MP for Tamworth since 2010 and was a minister under former prime minister Theresa May.
Mr Pincher was appointed alongside chief whip Chris Heaton-Harris last February to strengthen party discipline amid unrest among MPs over the way the government was being run.
It is the second time he has quit the whips' office, having resigned as a junior whip in November 2017 after a complaint that he had made an unwanted pass at former Olympic rower and Conservative candidate Alex Story.
The opposition Labour party said it showed the government was “mired in scandal” and questioned how he could stay on as a Tory MP.
“This latest episode shows how far standards in public life have been degraded on Boris Johnson's watch,” deputy leader Angela Rayner said.
“Boris Johnson has serious questions to answer about why Chris Pincher was given this role in the first place and how he can remain a Conservative MP.
“The Conservative Party is so mired in sleaze and scandal that it is totally unable to tackle the challenges facing the British people.”
Earlier on Friday, a Cabinet minister hinted that Mr Pincher could be expelled from the Conservative Party by the end of the day.
Speaking to Sky News, Welsh Secretary Simon Hart said Mr Heaton-Harris would be having “conversations” throughout the day and that “we might be having a very different conversation as the day goes on”.
“This makes me very sad, it makes me sad for everybody who’s been involved in these things,” Mr Hart said. “It’s clearly something which has gone terribly wrong.
“There is a process, I think it’s important that the process is followed.
“I think it is entirely right that the chief whip and others take a view today about what is the appropriate course of action.
“Of course, if there are those who are victims of this or who wish to raise complaint, they can do so.”
Mr Hart was unable to confirm whether the reported assault was being formally investigated.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Mr Pincher should have the whip suspended while a full investigation is carried out.
“These allegations are really serious,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. “This is about sexual assault.
“So, the idea that the response that we’ve seen that the prime minister thinks he’s done the decent thing by resigning and there’s no need for an investigation, well, that’s a total disgrace.
“The whips' office are responsible for discipline and standards among Conservative MPs. Boris Johnson chose this MP to be deputy chief whip because he was a friend and ally, despite the fact that he had to resign five years ago from the whip’s office due to similar-sounding allegations.”
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
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The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Letstango.com
Started: June 2013
Founder: Alex Tchablakian
Based: Dubai
Industry: e-commerce
Initial investment: Dh10 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 300,000 unique customers every month
The distance learning plan
Spring break will be from March 8 - 19
Public school pupils will undergo distance learning from March 22 - April 2. School hours will be 8.30am to 1.30pm
Staff will be trained in distance learning programmes from March 15 - 19
Teaching hours will be 8am to 2pm during distance learning
Pupils will return to school for normal lessons from April 5
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
The bio
Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions
School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira
Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk
Dream City: San Francisco
Hometown: Dubai
City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Essentials
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct from the UAE to Geneva from Dh2,845 return, including taxes. The flight takes 6 hours.
The package
Clinique La Prairie offers a variety of programmes. A six-night Master Detox costs from 14,900 Swiss francs (Dh57,655), including all food, accommodation and a set schedule of medical consultations and spa treatments.
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If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
