Boris Johnson has responded with a mock snore after being questioned about his handling of sexual assault allegations surrounding a Tory MP that helped hasten the former PM’s downfall.
In June last year, Christopher Pincher resigned as Conservative deputy chief whip amid allegations he assaulted two guests at a private members club in London.
Johnson had faced questions about his judgment, specifically the suggestion he was aware of an official complaint about Pincher’s prior behaviour before appointing him to the party enforcer role.
The affair came on top of his attempts to change the rules to prevent the suspension of then-Conservative MP Owen Paterson after he broke lobbying edicts. His actions were compounded by partygate, and Johnson eventually quit after scores of his ministers resigned.
MPs are expected to shortly publish details of their investigation into the allegations against Pincher. The standards committee has reportedly recommended a sanction which could mean a by-election for Pincher’s Tamworth constituency – another headache for Johnson’s successor in Downing Street, Rishi Sunak.
Asked by interviewer Julia Macfarlane on the One Decision podcast if he wished he had acted differently over claims against Pincher and Paterson’s suspension, Johnson looked unimpressed and pretended to snore.
Macfarlane told the News Agents podcast the former prime minister was “belligerent”, “defensive” and “pretty hostile” during the interview.
“I could see he was trying to undermine my question and what I tried to do was not to rise to it,” she said.
Last month, Johnson dramatically announced he was quitting as an MP as he accused a Commons investigation into whether he misled parliament over partygate of attempting to “drive me out”.
A by-election for Johnson’s Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat has been set for July 20.
He is now spending his time on the lucrative speaking circuit and penning a weekly Daily Mail column – which is thought to be earning him around £750,000 a year.