Boris Johnson’s father Stanley has been accused of inappropriately touching two women including a current Conservative MP.
The Tories are being urged to investigate the claims brought to light by Caroline Nokes, a former government minister and current chair of the Commons Women and Equalities Committee, and journalist Ailbhe Rea.
The Romsey and Southampton North MP first accused Johnson of forcefully smacking her on the backside at the 2003 party conference in Blackpool ahead of him running to be a Tory MP.
Her allegation prompted political journalist Ailbhe Rea to say she was “groped” by the 81-year-old at the party conference in 2019.
Johnson has declined to comment other than to say he has “no recollection of Caroline Nokes at all” while the Conservative Party is yet to say whether an investigation will be launched.
She told Sky News: “I can remember a really prominent man smacking me on the backside about as hard as he could and going, ‘Oh, Romsey, you’ve got a lovely seat’.
“Stanley Johnson did that to me ahead of the ‘05 election, so it was Blackpool … 2003/4.
“I didn’t do anything and I feel ashamed by that … now I probably would.”
The Labour Party has urged the Conservative Party to launch an investigation.
Shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds told Times Radio: “The Conservative Party clearly needs to investigate a serious allegation like that, that happened at their party conference,”
“Caroline Nokes is a very senior member of parliament. She’s the chair of the Women and Equalities committee.
“But whether it is a very senior member of parliament, whether it is anybody who attended that party conference, whoever the victim is, it is for us to listen to the victim, to treat their allegation extremely seriously and sensitively.”
Home Office minister Damian Hinds did not commit to an investigation during an appearance on the same radio station.
He said: “If there is an investigation to be had, if that is the appropriate course of action, then of course that will happen,”.
The accusation prompted a separate allegation from Ms Rea, which the journalist for the New Statesman magazine said happened at the Manchester party conference in 2019, when Boris Johnson was Tory leader.
Ms Rea wrote on Twitter: “Stanley Johnson also groped me at a party at Conservative conference in 2019.
“I am grateful to Caroline Nokes for calling out something that none of us should have to put up with, not least from the Prime Minister’s father.”
Stanley Johnson lost a campaign to become an MP in 2005 but had served as a Conservative MEP between 1979 and 1984.
He has declined to comment about both of the allegations.
But, regarding the initial accusation, he told Sky News: “I have no recollection of Caroline Nokes at all. But there you go … and no reply.”
On Tuesday morning, Nokes tweeted: “Just wanted to thank the sisterhood for the solidarity and support today. You know who you are and you’re amazing.”
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