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# Former senior Foreign Office official insists Prime Minister was aware of complaints about MP
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/former-senior-foreign-office-official-insists-prime-minister-was-aware-of-complaints-about-mp/
- Published: 2022-07-05T07:10:43.000Z
- Updated: 2022-07-05T07:10:50.000Z
- Description: A former senior civil servant says claims the Prime Minister was not aware of formal complaints about a local MP are “not true”.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 19:11, News

A former senior civil servant says claims the Prime Minister was not aware of formal complaints about a local MP are “not true”.

Sir Simon McDonald has written to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards over concerns about the narrative surrounding previous accusations against Christopher Pincher.

The MP for Tamworth, whose constituency covers areas including Shenstone, Stonnall and Fazeley, has had the Conservative whip suspended while an investigation takes place after [he admitted he “embarrassed” himself](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/ive-embarrassed-myself-mp-resigns-as-deputy-chief-whip/) after drinking too much at a club.

Further allegations have since emerged, with the Government denying Mr Pincher’s behaviour had been flagged prior to his appointment as a deputy chief whip.

But the former Permanent Under Secretary and Head of the Diplomatic Service at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, has now written a public letter challenging that version of events.

He said:

> “Five days after Mr Pincher’s resignation as deputy chief whip, there remains significant confusion surrounding complaints about his behaviour prior to the drunkenness he admits at the Carlton Club on 29th June.  
>  
> “Inaccurate claims by 10 Downing Street continue to be repeated in the media. On 3rd July, the BBC website reported ‘no official complaints were ever made’.  
>  
> “This is not true.  
>  
> “In the summer of 2019, shortly after he was appointed minister of state at the Foreign Office complained to me about Mr Pincher’s behaviour. I discussed the matter with the relevant official at the cabinet office. An investigation upheld the complaint. Mr Pincher apologised and promised not to repeat the inappropriate behaviour.”  
>  
> Sir Simon McDonald

Downing Street later said the Prime Minister was aware of “some allegations” but they they were “either resolved or did not progress to a formal complaint”.

But Sir Simon said suggestions that Boris Johnson was not aware of any specific allegations about Mr Pincher were also wide of the mark.

> “The original Number 10 line is not our and the modification is not accurate. Mr Johnson was briefed in person about the initiation and outcome of the investigation.  
>  
> “There was a ‘formal complaint’. Allegations were ‘resolved’ only in the sense that the investigation was completed – Mr Pincher was not exonerated.  
>  
> “To characterise the allegations as ‘unsubstantiated’ is therefore wrong.”  
>  
> Sir Simon McDonald