London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Dec 27, 2025

Chris Pincher: Councillor 'told to hold grope allegation'

Chris Pincher: Councillor 'told to hold grope allegation'

A councillor who says he was groped by former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher, says he was told by a colleague to hold off talking about it after instruction from Conservative headquarters.

Daniel Cook said Mr Pincher, MP for Tamworth in Staffordshire, groped him in 2005 and 2006 which the BBC understands he denies.

But Mr Cook said the instruction led him to speak out about what happened.

The BBC has contacted national and local Conservative parties.

Tamworth Conservative Association and Conservative Campaign Headquarters (CCHQ) was contacted on Friday afternoon and has yet to respond.

The BBC understands Mr Pincher strongly denies any such conduct relating to Mr Cook.

Allegations emerged last week that Mr Pincher was alleged to have groped two men in a private members' club, which led to his suspension.

Tamworth MP Christopher Pincher was suspended after allegations came to light


Prime Minister Boris Johnson then faced questions from his party about what he knew and his handling of the allegations. which led to him apologising for appointing him, admitting he had been made aware of a complaint in 2019.

Former health secretary Sajid Javid and chancellor Rishi Sunak resigned minutes after the prime minister's statement. which led to over 50 other resignations within government and Mr Johnson announcing on Thursday he was to stand down.

Mr Pincher is facing a string of claims of inappropriate behaviour stretching back several years, which he has denied.

Mr Cook, deputy mayor at Tamworth council, first made his claims about Mr Pincher's inappropriate behaviour towards him on Channel 4 on Tuesday.

He has now spoken to BBC West Midlands political editor Elizabeth Glinka, again waiving his right to anonymity.

He said the incidents happened at his home when Mr Pincher, drunk on both occasions, knocked at his door.

Mr Pincher "groped his penis and said have you got any good porn", Mr Cook said, and on the second occasion he "grabbed my backside and tried to cup my penis again".

After laughing the first incident off as a "badly timed drunken joke", the second time, Mr Cook reacted angrily and threw him out of his home and did not take any further action.

"In the morning when I had calmed down I genuinely thought, he's a lonely, gay man who was seeking some company for want of a better term, trying it on," he said.

Chris Pincher and Daniel Cook, here pictured in 2010, joined forces on several local issues in Tamworth


"I chose to forget about it. We never ever discussed it. I moved on... I've never felt like a victim. I was able to defend myself."

After allegations emerged about Mr Pincher allegedly groping the two men in the private members club, Mr Cook said local Conservatives in Tamworth were contacted by CCHQ telling them "everybody needs to shut up".

He told the colleague that informed him of that instruction that he could potentially be defined as one of Mr Pincher's victims and that it seemed like he was being told "to be quiet".

"We need to be very careful how we approach this because this is what you're doing to me now - you're telling me to be quiet," Mr Cook said he told his colleague.

"There was a wall of silence from Conservative councillors until I said something... we were told under no uncertain circumstances not to say a word - that's what finally pushed me to come forward and actually say something."


Councillor accuses Conservatives of "wall of silence" over Chris Pincher


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Plans Royal Diplomacy with King Charles and Prince William to Reinvigorate Trade Talks with US
King Charles and Prince William Poised for Separate 2026 US Visits to Reinforce UK-US Trade and Diplomatic Ties
Apple Moves to Appeal UK Ruling Ordering £1.5 Billion in Customer Overcharge Damages
King Charles’s 2025 Christmas Message Tops UK Television Ratings on Christmas Day
The Battle Over the Internet Explodes: The United States Bars European Officials and Ignites a Diplomatic Crisis
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Join Royal Family at Sandringham Christmas Service
Fine Wine Investors Find Little Cheer in Third Year of Falls
UK Mortgage Rates Edge Lower as Bank of England Base Rate Cut Filters Through Lending Market
U.S. Supermarket Gives Customers Free Groceries for Christmas After Computer Glitch
Air India ‘Finds’ a Plane That Vanished 13 Years Ago
Caviar and Foie Gras? China Is Becoming a Luxury Food Powerhouse
Hong Kong Climbs to Second Globally in 2025 Tourism Rankings Behind Bangkok
From Sunniest Year on Record to Terror Plots and Sports Triumphs: The UK’s Defining Stories of 2025
Greta Thunberg Released on Bail After Arrest at London Pro-Palestinian Demonstration
Banksy Unveils New Winter Mural in London Amid Festive Season Excitement
UK Households Face Rising Financial Strain as Tax Increases Bite and Growth Loses Momentum
UK Government Approves Universal Studios Theme Park in Bedford Poised to Rival Disneyland Paris
UK Gambling Shares Slide as Traders Respond to Steep Tax Rises and Sector Uncertainty
Starmer and Trump Coordinate on Ukraine Peace Efforts in Latest Diplomatic Call
The Pilot Barricaded Himself in the Cockpit and Refused to Take Off: "We Are Not Leaving Until I Receive My Salary"
UK Fashion Label LK Bennett Pursues Accelerated Sale Amid Financial Struggles
U.S. Government Warns UK Over Free Speech in Pro-Life Campaigner Prosecution
Newly Released Files Shed Light on Jeffrey Epstein’s Extensive Links to the United Kingdom
Prince William and Prince George Volunteer Together at UK Homelessness Charity
UK Police Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’ as Authorities Recalibrate Free Speech Enforcement
Scambodia: The World Owes Thailand’s Military a Profound Debt of Gratitude
Women in Partial Nudity — and Bill Clinton in a Dress and Heels: The Images Revealed in the “Epstein Files”
US Envoy Witkoff to Convene Security Advisers from Ukraine, UK, France and Germany in Miami as Peace Efforts Intensify
UK Retailers Report Sharp Pre-Christmas Sales Decline and Weak Outlook, CBI Survey Shows
UK Government Rejects Use of Frozen Russian Assets to Fund Aid for Ukraine
UK Financial Conduct Authority Opens Formal Investigation into WH Smith After Accounting Errors
UK Issues Final Ultimatum to Roman Abramovich Over £2.5bn Chelsea Sale Funds for Ukraine
Rare Pink Fog Sweeps Across Parts of the UK as Met Office Warns of Poor Visibility
UK Police Pledge ‘More Assertive’ Enforcement to Tackle Antisemitism at Protests
UK Police Warn They Will Arrest Protesters Chanting ‘Globalise the Intifada’
Trump Files $10 Billion Defamation Lawsuit Against BBC as Broadcaster Pledges Legal Defence
UK Says U.S. Tech Deal Talks Still Active Despite Washington’s Suspension of Prosperity Pact
UK Mortgage Rules to Give Greater Flexibility to Borrowers With Irregular Incomes
UK Treasury Moves to Position Britain as Leading Global Hub for Crypto Firms
U.S. Freezes £31 Billion Tech Prosperity Deal With Britain Amid Trade Dispute
Prince Harry and Meghan’s Potential UK Return Gains New Momentum Amid Security Review and Royal Dialogue
Zelensky Opens High-Stakes Peace Talks in Berlin with Trump Envoy and European Leaders
Historical Reflections on Press Freedom Emerge Amid Debate Over Trump’s Media Policies
UK Boosts Protection for Jewish Communities After Sydney Hanukkah Attack
UK Government Declines to Comment After ICC Prosecutor Alleges Britain Threatened to Defund Court Over Israel Arrest Warrant
Apple Shutters All Retail Stores in the United Kingdom Under New National COVID-19 Lockdown
US–UK Technology Partnership Strains as Key Trade Disagreements Emerge
UK Police Confirm No Further Action Over Allegation That Andrew Asked Bodyguard to Investigate Virginia Giuffre
Giuffre Family Expresses Deep Disappointment as UK Police Decline New Inquiry Into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Claims
Transatlantic Trade Ambitions Hit a Snag as UK–US Deal Faces Emerging Challenges
×