Babak Belurs

Sabtu, 09 Juli 2022

UK weather heatwave alert: Prolonged period of high temperatures predicted as health warning issued - Sky News

Parents are being warned to limit children's exposure to the sun as a heatwave is set to push temperatures above 30C (86F) across parts of the UK.

A heat-health alert has been issued for the majority of the country with the mercury set to remain "consistently high" throughout next week.

One computer model has shown temperatures could potentially even hit 40C (104F) in mid-July - although forecasters have expressed caution at this.

Parents and carers are being urged not to allow children to stay in the sun for long periods - and to "make sure they're covered in a high factor sun cream".

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office have put in place a level 3 alert for the East of England, South East and London with highs of 32C (89F) currently forecast. A level 2 alert has been issued for the South West, East Midlands, West Midlands, North West and Yorkshire and the Humber regions.

A level 2 alert is issued when there is a "high chance" of the forecasted conditions, while level 3 means there is a "90% probability". The alerts will be in place from 9am on Monday until 9am on Friday.

Sheffield Children's hospital has appealed to people to "keep your children safe" during the incoming hot conditions.

"The first sign that a child is overheating is when they become grumpy or complain of a headache," the NHS Foundation Trust posted on Twitter.

"Get them into a shaded place that is as cool as possible. Remove any clothing you can, give them water to drink and get them to rest," it added.

The UKHSA recommended people should drink plenty of fluids and avoid excess alcohol during the coming week.

Physical exertion should be avoided during the hottest part of the day - and people should check on the vulnerable and the elderly who find the heat particularly challenging.

Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at the UKHSA, said high temperatures are predicted for a "prolonged period".

He said: "Heat-health alerts have now been issued to the majority of the country, with temperatures set to remain consistently high throughout the duration of next week.

"Most of us can enjoy the hot weather when it arrives, but it is important to keep yourself hydrated and to find shade where possible when UV rays are strongest, between 11am and 3pm.

"If you have vulnerable family, friends and neighbours, make sure they are aware of how they can keep themselves protected from the warm weather."

'Potentially relatively long spell of warm weather'

Meteorologist Annie Shuttleworth said: "We're at the start of a potentially relatively long spell of warm weather for much of the UK away from the far North West, where it's likely to be a bit cooler and cloudier."

The hottest day of the year so far was during the last heatwave on 17 June, when a temperature of 32.7C (90F) was reached.

Ms Shuttleworth added that temperatures will "come close" to this year's high in London and the South East at the start of next week.

Parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland will also be seeing balmy weather, as across Aberdeenshire and Fife temperatures could be close to 27C or 28C, with 25C (77F) expected across Northern Ireland.

The hot summer days will also usher in hot and "sticky" nights. Ms Shuttleworth urged Britons to "keep the curtains closed during the day, especially if you've got a south-facing bedroom" and "keep ventilation going around your house".

The warm weather looks to be settling in for some time to come, according to Met Office forecasting. The average temperature for July is around 20C (68F).

Watch the Daily Climate Show at 3.30pm Monday to Friday, and The Climate Show with Tom Heap on Saturday and Sunday at 3.30pm and 7.30pm. All on Sky News, on the Sky News website and app, on YouTube and Twitter.

The show investigates how global warming is changing our landscape and highlights solutions to the crisis.

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2022-07-09 09:25:28Z
1494795197

Rishi Sunak and other Conservative hopefuls announce leadership bids to replace Boris Johnson - with more expected this weekend - Sky News

The first candidates have entered the contest to replace Boris Johnson as Conservative leader, with more hopefuls expected to throw their hats into the ring over the weekend.

Last night, Rishi Sunak announced his bid on social media, promising to "restore trust, rebuild the economy and reunite the country".

The former chancellor, who spectacularly resigned on Tuesday evening triggering an avalanche of government resignations, was quickly endorsed by a large number of Conservative MPs.

These included Commons leader Mark Spencer, who said Mr Sunak "is the leader that can unite the party", and former chairman of the Conservative Party Oliver Dowden, who described the former chancellor as "the best person to lead our country and unquestionably the best person to beat Labour".

Former cabinet minister Liam Fox said Mr Sunak is the only candidate who has the "experience, integrity and vision" to lead the country through the economic challenges it is currently facing.

Announcing his intention to join the race, Mr Sunak said the country faces "huge challenges".

In a video uploaded alongside a tweet pitching himself as the next head of the party, Mr Sunak said: "I want to lead this country in the right direction."

He also stressed his experience during the pandemic as an example of why he is fit for the job.

"I ran the toughest department in government during the toughest times when we faced the nightmare of COVID," he continued.

"My values are non-negotiable: patriotism, fairness, hard work.

"We've had enough of division.

"Politics at its best is a unifying endeavour and I have spent my career bringing people together. Because that is the only way to succeed."

Mr Sunak's campaign website, www.ready4rishi.com, appears to have been originally registered under a slightly different name - www.readyforrishi.com - which redirects to the official page and was set up in December last year.

On Thursday evening, Tom Tugendhat became the first MP to say he would run to replace Mr Johnson in a Tory leadership contest.

Mr Tugendhat, chairman of parliament's foreign affairs committee, said "it's time for renewal".

Writing in The Telegraph, Mr Tugendhat said: "I have served before - in the military, and now in parliament. Now I hope to answer the call once again as prime minister."

Confirming her intention to run in The Times, former equalities minister Kemi Badenoch laid out her plan to radically cut the size of the state and preside over a "limited government focused on essentials".

Sky News understands that Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is also weighing up a leadership bid - as is former health secretary Sajid Javid.

Dominic Raab, who stood in as acting prime minister when Boris Johnson was struck down with COVID in the spring of 2020, will not run.

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Neither will former levelling up secretary Michael Gove or Matt Hancock, who quit the government after breaking COVID rules during lockdown.

Speaking prior to Mr Johnson's resignation, Attorney General Suella Braverman said she would put her name forward if a leadership contest were to arise.

Ardent Brexiteer Steve Baker confirmed on Friday evening that he would not be running, despite considering doing so, and would instead be backing Ms Braverman.

"My priorities were delivering against our manifesto with our mandate, cutting taxes and seeing through Brexit," he posted on social media.

"Happily I no longer need to stand. Suella Braverman will deliver these priorities and more."

Ben Wallace is the favourite to succeed Mr Johnson as Tory leader and prime minister, having risen up the party's popularity rankings in recent months.

The latest YouGov poll of Tory members shows the defence secretary as the clear favourite for next leader, beating all the main expected contenders including Mr Sunak, Penny Mordaunt and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

However, he is yet to throw his hat in the ring.

Sky News' political correspondent Joe Pike understands Mr Wallace is discussing the matter with his family before deciding how to proceed.

Mr Sunak's announcement saw bookmakers Ladbrokes install him as their joint favourite to succeed Mr Johnson alongside Mr Wallace.

More bids are expected in the coming days, including Mr Sunak's successor as chancellor, Nadhim Zahawi, and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

Following elections to the executive of the backbench 1922 Committee on Monday, the new body will draw up a timetable for the leadership election.

Mr Johnson has said he wants to stay in Number 10 until the contest has concluded.

Labour has confirmed it will table a Commons vote of no confidence in the government if Mr Johnson refuses to go voluntarily.

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2022-07-09 02:29:12Z
1494214054

Jumat, 08 Juli 2022

Ex-Chancellor Rishi Sunak launches bid to be Conservative leader - BBC

Rishi Sunak has entered the race to be the next leader of the Conservative Party and prime minister.

The former chancellor is the most high profile figure so far to announce his candidacy.

His resignation from the cabinet on Tuesday helped trigger the mass walkout of ministers that forced Boris Johnson to stand down as Tory leader.

Mr Johnson intends to stay on as prime minister until the Tory party chooses a successor.

Senior backbencher Tom Tugendhat, Attorney General Suella Braverman and former Equalities minister Kemi Badenoch have announced their plans to stand.

Meanwhile, former Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, and former Health Secretary Sajid Javid are said to be considering leadership bids.

Former Brexit minister Steve Baker had signalled he was considering standing for the leadership but has dropped his bid and is backing Attorney General Suella Braverman.

A timetable for the Tory leadership race is due to be confirmed next week and the new prime minister is expected to be in position by September.

Analysis box by Ione Wells, political correspondent

Rishi Sunak's video is typically slick and glossy.

His brand was well built already - as his profile rocketed during the Covid pandemic - with a strong team behind him, which is one challenge for his competitors to rival.

One thing that knocked his 'brand' were reports about his wife's previous non-dom tax status, and his critics using his wealth to brand him 'out of touch' during a cost of living crisis.

But like Sajid Javid, Steve Baker and Nadhim Zahawi - who are widely tipped to run - he has used the film to emphasise his more humble background.

He describes his grandmother emigrating to Britain and his mother working hard to become a pharmacist so she and his NHS GP father could give their children opportunities.

It's this tale of opportunity - and his experience running the economy - that will play a strong part in his campaign.

Announcing his decision to stand in a social media video, Mr Sunak said he wanted to "restore trust, rebuild the economy and reunite the country".

He added: "Someone has to grip this moment and make the right decisions."

"Do we confront this moment with honesty seriousness and determination or do we tell ourselves comforting fairy tales that might make us feel better in the moment but will leave our children worse off tomorrow," he asked.

How the Conservative Party elects a new leader (short)

He promised "to lead this country in the right direction" based on values of "patriotism, fairness and hard work".

He said the country faced "huge challenges" and that decisions made now would determine whether the next generation got "the chance of a better future".

Pointing to his credentials to be leader, Mr Sunak said he had run the "toughest department in government during the toughest times when we faced the nightmare of Covid".

Several senior Tory MPs have endorsed Mr Sunak's candidacy, tweeting their support and promoting his campaign slogan "Ready for Rishi".

Oliver Dowden - who resigned as party chairman last month - said: "Rishi is the best person to lead our country and unquestionably the best person to beat Labour."

And Commons Leader Mark Spencer wrote: "Rishi is the leader that can unite the Party, bring the whole country together and win us that fifth general election victory."

In his launch video, Mr Sunak told the story of his Indian mother, who emigrated from East Africa to the UK in the 1960s. The Tory MP explained how his mother went on to run her own pharmacy, and met his father, a GP, in Southampton.

"My family gave me opportunities they could only dream of," Mr Sunak said.

Mr Sunak, 42, was an analyst for the investment bank, Goldman Sachs, and was later a partner in two hedge funds, before becoming an MP for the North Yorkshire constituency of Richmond in 2015.

He was once seen as the leading contender to succeed Mr Johnson as Conservative Party leader and prime minister.

Appointed chancellor in February 2020, Mr Sunak had to grapple with the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic, spending huge amounts to keep the economy afloat.

But his reputation was dented by a controversy over his wife's tax affairs and being fined for breaching lockdown rules during the pandemic.

Mr Sunak was fined by the Metropolitan Police, along with Mr Johnson and his wife Carrie, for breaching Covid rules by attending a birthday party for the prime minister in June 2020.

A backer of Brexit, Mr Sunak was loyal to Mr Johnson, despite tensions over economic policy and the prime minister's wish to cut taxes more quickly as living costs rise.

But their relationship ultimately broke down when Mr Sunak dramatically resigned shortly after close ally and former cabinet colleague, Mr Javid.

In his resignation letter, Mr Sunak said "the public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously".

Mr Sunak also referenced tensions over the economy in his resignation letter, telling the PM their approaches had become "fundamentally too different".

His resignation and that of Mr Javid triggered a mass exodus of ministers and precipitated the downfall of Mr Johnson's government.

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Boris Johnson resignation

THE NEXT PM: Sunak, Truss and other potential candidates
WHAT NOW? How a new leader is elected
LOST SUPPORT: Five things that led to PM's downfall
JOHNSON: The PM who broke all the rules
VIDEO: Johnson's career in moments

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2022-07-08 21:33:39Z
1494214054

British-Irish Council: Taoiseach hopes new PM will rebuild relations - BBC

The taoiseach (Irish prime minister) has said he hopes a new UK prime minister can help rebuild relations with Dublin.

Micheál Martin said there was now an opportunity to look afresh at British-Irish links.

Relations have deteriorated in recent years in the post-Brexit era and are widely believed to be at a 25-year low.

Mr Martin was speaking after a meeting of the British-Irish Council in Guernsey.

The UK delegation at the council meeting was led by Northern Ireland Office minister Conor Burns.

Michael Gove had been expected to lead the UK government delegation in Guernsey, but he was sacked from the cabinet on Wednesday night by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The British-Irish Council is made up of representatives from the UK and Irish governments, the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the governments of the Isle of Man, Jersey and Guernsey.

At a news conference after the meeting, Mr Burns defended Brexit and the UK's handling of it.

He agreed that work needed to be done to improve British-Irish relations but said the UK had the right to protect its own interests after Brexit.

Although the UK government is legislating to change the Northern Ireland Protocol, he said its preference remained for a negotiated solution.

The taoiseach said unilateralism by the UK government on any issue had "never worked".

He also recalled being part of the Irish government after the Good Friday Agreement was signed in 1998.

"It was always based on trust, working together and giving each other a heads up," Mr Martin said.

"Unfortunately, the [protocol] legislation that has recently been tabled flies in the spirit of partnership and engagement."

'Emotional and turbulent period'

Mr Burns, who helped run Boris Johnson's campaign for the Conservative Party leadership in 2019, said the move to oust the prime minister had been an "emotional and turbulent" period.

He described Mr Johnson as his boss and friend and said the process to replace him should happen in a dignified and edifying manner.

The minister added the contest should take place quickly, but until then current government policies would continue to be enacted.

Asked who he would back to become the next leader, he would not be drawn but said he would vote privately.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) did not attend the British-Irish Council, as it continues to protest against the NI Protocol.

A DUP spokesperson said: "The institutions are not fully functioning. Focus should be on replacing the protocol."

'Truly wonderful place'

Meanwhile, new Northern Ireland Secretary Shailesh Vara made a visit to Belfast for the first time since taking up the role.

In a tweet, Mr Vara said: "Delighted to be in Belfast today.

"I look forward to getting to work and meeting people in Northern Ireland.

"A truly wonderful place with huge potential."

Fantastic to visit @PrincesTrustNI on my first visit to Northern Ireland as Secretary of State today. Good to learn about how the charity supports young people across NI by developing their confidence and the skills needed to succeed through education, training and employment. pic.twitter.com/qIAEI5LaaY
— Shailesh Vara MP (@ShaileshVara) July 8, 2022

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.View original tweet on Twitter

During his visit, Mr Vara met young people being supported by the Prince's Trust charity.

It was the 37th British-Irish Council summit and the fifth time it has been held in Guernsey.

The British-Irish Council was created two decades ago by the Good Friday Agreement.

Its stated aim is to "promote the harmonious and mutually beneficial development of the totality of relations among the peoples of these islands".

The summit in June 2021, which took place in County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland, was one of the last official events attended by then-First Minister Arlene Foster before she stepped down.

At the post-summit news conference, she broke into song, singing some lines from the Frank Sinatra hit That's Life.

She had just been ousted from the leadership of the DUP.

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2022-07-08 13:32:22Z
1492415847

New UK prime minister to be chosen by early September - Financial Times

Conservative party grandees intend to install a new UK prime minister by early September when the House of Commons returns from its summer break, according to MPs with knowledge of the plans.

Boris Johnson’s resignation announcement on Thursday triggered an internal contest for electing a new party leader, who will in turn be appointed prime minister by the Queen. Plans for the race will be signed off at a meeting of the party’s 1922 committee of backbench MPs on Monday.

The contest will be run in two stages. In the first, Conservative MPs will whittle down a longlist of candidates to just two. This will be followed by a campaign among the party’s 100,000 members, who will decide the next leader.

Senior MPs on the 1922 committee’s executive said there was a desire to complete the parliamentary element of the two-stage contest before the Commons breaks for its summer recess on July 21. One senior MP said the party was “confident” the initial stage could be swiftly concluded.

“Logistically I think it should be possible to complete it all by [the] time [the] House comes back in early September,” said one longstanding MP close to the process.

Several candidates have already declared their intention to stand. Suella Braverman, the pro-Brexit attorney-general, was the first to declare. On Thursday, a Twitter account for her campaign was launched bearing the slogan “hope, security and opportunity”.

Steve Baker, a former minister and one of the Conservative party’s most effective organisers, said he had been “implored” by fellow MPs to run for the leadership, but stopped short of formally declaring his candidacy.

Both contenders would be vying for endorsement from the European Research Group of Leave-supporting MPs. “I imagine Steve will eventually back Suella to try and unite the ERG vote,” predicted one influential Tory party figure.

Tom Tugendhat, chair of the foreign affairs select committee, has also entered the race. Writing in the Daily Telegraph, the former soldier said he wanted to form a “broad coalition of colleagues that will bring new energy and ideas to government” and “bridge the Brexit divide that has dominated our recent history”.

A number of more experienced candidates are expected to declare their intention to stand in the coming days. They include Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, and chancellor Nadhim Zahawi. Former chancellor Rishi Sunak and former health secretary Sajid Javid are also contemplating bids, along with defence secretary Ben Wallace.

These current and former cabinet ministers will draw on their experience in government to make their leadership pitches. Zahawi will use his brief time in the Treasury — he was appointed just two days before Johnson announced his intention to resign — to burnish his pro-business, low-tax credentials, while Truss will focus on her role championing the “global Britain” agenda. Wallace would point to his achievements in supporting the Ukrainians in their war with Russia.

Other lesser-known Tories likely to announce bids include trade minister Penny Mordaunt and former health secretary Jeremy Hunt, both from the left of the party.

According to a poll from JL Partners published on Thursday, Sunak would be the best-placed candidate to beat Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in a potential general election. Javid was second, three points behind the opposition leader, while the others are further behind.

Bookmakers Ladbrokes put Wallace as the favourite to succeed Johnson with odds of 5/2, with Sunak at 9/2, Mordaunt at 6/1 and Truss at 8/1.

Several contenders who ran in the 2019 contest, after the resignation of former prime minister Theresa May, have ruled themselves out of the race — including deputy prime minister Dominic Raab, former business secretary Andrea Leadsom and ex-health secretary Matt Hancock.

Leadership candidates will battle for endorsements from the party’s parliamentary caucuses, including the ERG, the One Nation group of liberal MPs, the China Research Group of China-sceptics and the Northern Research Group representing seats in northern England.

As in 2019, the leadership contest will be run jointly by the 1922 committee and the Conservative party board. The committee will elect a new 18-member executive on Monday, in a vote unrelated to Johnson’s departure, before agreeing on how the contest will be run. One senior Tory said the committee elections would be concluded by 5pm on Monday.

If Sir Graham Brady, current chair of the 1922, is re-elected — there are no other candidates known to be contesting the influential position — he will oversee the parliamentary shortlisting stage.

Those with knowledge of his thinking said that if re-elected Brady would hold an “immediate” meeting of the executive on Monday to agree a timetable for selecting the next prime minister.

It is unknown what threshold will be required for Tory MPs to make it on to the ballot paper. In the 2019 contest, support from 5 per cent of Tory MPs was required to make it into the first round, and this increased to 10 per cent in subsequent rounds. A total of five rounds of MPs’ ballots were held for 10 candidates.

Senior party figures with experience of past contests predicted there would be “an alarmingly big field of runners and riders”, with one MP suggesting that such a large race could prove “very unpredictable”.

Another veteran Tory said that such a large number of candidates could “winnow out quite quickly”, adding that MPs might only have to vote in two or three rounds before the final two were selected.

One cabinet minister predicted that the two shortlisted contenders might be “one person inside the government and one person outside”, adding that Truss and Zahawi may end up facing either Javid or Sunak.

MPs are acutely aware of their responsibilities in choosing a shortlist of just two. One said: “the grassroots are well to the right of the parliamentary party. We’ve got to make sure we don’t end up giving them a shortlist that could produce someone unsuitable to be PM.”

The 1922 committee is likely to propose that the grassroots stage of the contest takes place through July and August. The timing will be agreed at a meeting of the party’s board once it has been elected on Monday.

Several televised and regional hustings are expected to be held around the country as party activists make the final decision on who will replace Johnson as the next UK prime minister.

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2022-07-08 07:04:43Z
1494377781

Kamis, 07 Juli 2022

Boris Johnson latest updates: Dominic Raab will not stand in leadership contest - Financial Times

The UK’s attorney-general has joined a chorus of ministers calling for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign as she lays out her own pitch for the leadership of the Conservative party.

“The facts are undeniable,” Suella Braverman told BBC Radio 4’s Today on Thursday. “[Johnson] can’t command the confidence of sufficient numbers of people to serve in his government.

“It is so regrettable for us today — it’s incredibly sad for us to reach the conclusion that he sadly must stand down,” she said.

Braverman continues in her post as attorney-general, but outlined a pitch for leadership of the Conservative party.

“I’m putting myself forward . . . because I believe that the 2019 manifesto is fit for purpose, presents a bold and inspiring vision of our country, I want to deliver on the promises contained in that manifesto,” she said.

“I want to embed the opportunities of Brexit and tidy up the outstanding issues relating to the Northern Ireland protocol,” she added. “I want to fix the problem of illegal boats crossing the Channel, stop a Strasbourg court from interfering in our domestic policies, cut taxes, shrink the size of the state and government spending.”

Braverman also said she would “take on in a robust fashion some of this cancel culture and woke rubbish, as I like to call it, which is permeating our schools, our universities, our society”.

Ben Wallace, the defence minister, tweeted on Thursday: “A number of us have an obligation to keep this country safe no matter who is PM.

“The party has a mechanism to change leaders and that is the mechanism which I advise colleagues to use,” he said.

A number of us have an obligation to keep this country safe,no matter who is PM. The Party has a mechanism to change leaders and that is the mechanism which I advise colleagues to use. In the meantime,the public would not forgive us if we left these Offices of State empty.
— Rt. Hon Ben Wallace MP (@BWallaceMP) July 7, 2022

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2022-07-07 14:44:53Z
1492415847

Chris Pincher: Fresh sex assault claims about suspended Tamworth MP - BBC

Further allegations of sexual assault have been made against MP and former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher.

Conservative councillor Daniel Cook told Channel 4 News Mr Pincher, who has been suspended by the Tory party, had groped him in 2005 and 2006.

Mr Cook, deputy mayor at Tamworth council in Staffordshire, where Mr Pincher is an MP, said he had lodged a complaint with the Conservative Party.

The BBC understands that Mr Pincher strongly denies any such conduct.

He also said Mr Cook had never raised it with him.

Former council leader Mr Cook, who waived his anonymity for his interview, said he felt angry at what had happened and wanted Mr Pincher expelled from the Tory party.

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

Prime Minister Boris Johnson then faced questions from within his own party about what he knew and his handling of the allegations.

He apologised on Tuesday for appointing Mr Pincher to the government role, admitting he had been told about a complaint in 2019 and saying he had made a "bad mistake".

That triggered a swathe of resignations in government including former health secretary Sajid Javid and chancellor Rishi Sunak minutes after the prime minister's statement.

Boris Johnson has now announced his resignation as Conservative leader.

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

Two police forces investigated two allegations of sexual assault by a man believed to be Mr Pincher - one in London between 2010 and 2012, and another in Staffordshire in May 2019.

Neither investigation resulted in any action and Mr Pincher denies the allegations.

Mr Cook said he had met Mr Pincher when he had first started in politics as a council candidate in Tamworth for the 2004 elections aged about 28.

He campaigned with Mr Pincher, among others, and Mr Cook said the parliamentary candidate had taken him under his wing.

The councillor told Channel 4 Mr Pincher had been drunk on both occasions when he had been assaulted.

'Stinking drunk'

Mr Cook said that in 2005, while his wife had been at work, Mr Pincher had come to his house with a council colleague and had "cupped his hand around my genitals" and had then asked if he had any "good porn".

A year later, he said, Mr Pincher had again gone round to his house "stinking drunk", had cupped him again and grabbed him from behind.

Mr Pincher made reference to his fellow Conservative being "a rising star" of politics in Tamworth, the councillor said.

Mr Cook said he had reacted the first time by laughing it off and pushing him away, but the second time had thrown him against a fridge and physically thrown him out of his house, watching him stagger down his drive.

He said he felt angry about what had happened and had come forward after other allegations had been made.

Mr Cook added if he had spoken out at the time, the matter could have been dealt with sooner.

A spokesperson for the Conservative Party said: "Mr Pincher's membership of the Conservative Party has been suspended pending investigation."

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2022-07-07 12:12:59Z
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