Disgraced former Tory whip Chris Pincher has said he will resign as an MP after losing his appeal against a suspension for drunken behaviour.
The resignation means another difficult by-election battle for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his Conservative party, who are trailing Labour in opinion polls and have won only one of the last three by-elections.
Mr Pincher announced he was stepping down on Thursday when he lost an appeal against his punishment – which was an eight-week suspension from Parliament – for drunkenly groping two men.
“I do not want my constituents to be put to further uncertainty,” he said. “I have made arrangements to resign and leave the Commons.”
The Standards Committee ruled in July that the MP's conduct was “profoundly damaging” and amounted to an abuse of power. Parliament’s Independent Expert Panel dismissed his appeal on Monday.
The vote to replace him will be held on the same day as a by-election to replace former culture minister Nadine Dorries, a critic of Mr Sunak. That vote is being held on October 19.
“I have said already that I will not stand at the next general election,” Mr Pincher said.
“However, following the Independent Expert Panel's decision I wanted to talk to my office team and family.
“I do not want my constituents to be put to further uncertainty, and so in consequence I have made arrangements to resign and leave the Commons.
“Tamworth is a wonderful place and it has been an honour to represent its people.”
Mr Pincher was suspended for groping two men at a London club last year.
He has been comfortably voted for by Tamworth residents since 2010 and won a 19,634-vote majority at the last general election.
Ms Dorries announced her own resignation last week with a bitter attack on Mr Sunak.
The Tories have held that seat since 1931, with Ms Dorries having a 24,664-vote majority in 2019 over Labour.
Asked about his party's prospects in the by-elections, Mr Sunak said: “Midterm by-elections are always difficult for incumbent governments and these will be no different, but we're going to keep working hard to deliver for the British people.”
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
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- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
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What are the regulations?
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UAE cricketers abroad
Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.
Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.
Yodhin Punja The seam bowler was named in the UAE’s extended World Cup squad in 2015 despite being just 15 at the time. He made his senior UAE debut aged 16, and subsequently took up a scholarship at Claremont High School in the south of England.
