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Johnson to exit Downing St in a shower of sleaze and sexual misconduct claims

BORIS Johnson will quit No 10 next week amid a shower of sleaze and new sexual misconduct allegations.

Sky News reported yesterday that a Cabinet minister and a senior No 10 aide in Mr Johnson’s government, both as yet unnamed, are facing allegations of sexual misconduct.

Two women allege they were assaulted and groped by figures within the government.

One woman told Sky News she was “sexually assaulted by someone who is now a Cabinet minister”.

A second woman said she was working at a Conservative event when she was groped, adding: “I turned around and this guy was just looking right at me.”

She complained and raised it again when the man was due to get a top job in No 10, but “nothing happened”.

A government spokesman said: “We take allegations of misconduct extremely seriously and there are robust procedures in place to raise concerns. All ministerial appointments also follow established processes.”

The spokesman added that they did not comment on individual members of staff.

The latest allegations are part of a long line of scandals during Mr Johnson’s time in Downing Street.

Mr Johnson was found by the Supreme Court to have unlawfully prorogued Parliament in 2019 and he was fined by the police for attending an illegal party during the Covid lockdown.

Mr Johnson is still facing investigation by Parliament over whether he misled MPs when he denied being aware of the illegal parties.

The Prime Minister tried to save Tory MP Owen Paterson from suspension for paid lobbying and attempted to rip up the Commons disciplinary process. Mr Paterson was eventually forced to resign in disgrace.

Mr Johnson also faced a probe over the refurbishment of the Downing Street flat which led to the Tories being fined for failing to accurately report a donation to pay for it.

But he was forced to quit after the mass resignations from the government following accusations by a former senior civil servant that Mr Johnson’s office gave false information about past sexual harassment allegations against Tory Christopher Pincher.

Labour’s Dawn Butler, who was kicked out of Parliament in July last year for calling the Prime Minister a liar, told the Morning Star: “Most people knew what I said was true but wouldn’t say it. Johnson’s lies have done huge damage to our democracy and more importantly our country.”

Former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said: “The final days of Boris Johnson show he is as arrogant and self-regarding as ever. He still refuses to accept that he was thrown out by his own MPs and for very good reasons.

“As far as he is concerned, he did nothing wrong and was evicted by ungrateful colleagues.”

Leeds East MP Richard Burgon said: “Boris Johnson came to office falsely claiming he’d take on the establishment that has repeatedly let people down. As with so much else with Johnson that was a lie. 

He added: “It’s good riddance to Johnson.”

Labour’s Kate Osborne said: “It is unfortunately not shocking that right up to Boris Johnson’s last day as Prime Minister we are still hearing about serious sexual misconduct from Cabinet ministers and senior aides. 

“Too many victims are forced to keep quiet and not believed when they speak out — we know of 56 MPs facing accusations of sexual misconduct.”

Independent MP Claudia Webbe told the Star: “Until the political culture is transformed and replaced with a politics of equality and solidarity, the government will not work in the interests of people in the UK.”

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