BORIS JOHNSON was “made aware” of concerns relating to the misconduct of disgraced former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher in 2019, it was revealed today.

In another twist in the scandal, Cabinet Office minister Michael Ellis admitted that the Prime Minister had been told about allegations of sexual misconduct against Mr Pincher while he was at the Foreign Office.

Despite this information, Mr Johnson still appointed him as deputy chief whip.

In an urgent question to the minister, Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said the latest allegations are “all about abuse of power.”

Ms Rayner went on to recount the changing accounts of what Mr Johnson was said to know of the allegations against Mr Pincher, saying that his defence had been “completely blown apart” by Lord McDonald.

Lord McDonald, the former permanent secretary at the Foreign Office, wrote to parliamentary standards commissioner Kathryn Stone yesterday, saying that the accounts previously given by Downing Street were “not true.”

Lord McDonald said in his letter: “Mr Johnson was briefed in person about the initiation and outcome of the investigation.

“There was a formal complaint.”

Mr Ellis admitted there had been a Cabinet Office investigation in 2019 and said: “The exercise established that while the minister meant no harm, what had occurred caused a high level of discomfort.   

“Last week, when fresh allegations arose, the Prime Minister did not immediately recall the conversation in late 2019 about this incident.

“As soon as he was reminded, the Number 10 press office corrected their public lines.”

Tories joined opposition MPs in blasting the response from Mr Ellis.

Dr Caroline Johnson, who supported the Prime Minister in the recent no confidence vote, said: “Can [the minister] confirm if the allegations made back in 2019 were sexual assault?

“And if they were and they were upheld, why the police weren’t involved?

“Why wasn’t he sacked at the time — never mind given another job?”

Tory MP John Penrose asked how many more of the Nolan Principles of public life would be breached before the minister says “enough is enough.”

And Tory MP William Wragg said that the answers from the government “change seemingly by the hour.”

Mr Wragg asked his party frontbenchers to ask themselves if they can “tolerate a government which for better or worse is widely regarded as having lost its sense of direction.”

Mr Ellis insisted throughout the exchanges that the matter was now under investigation and it was “very important that we do not pre-judge any individual case.”