Daniel Korski latest: Tory London mayoral hopeful drops out of race after groping claims
Daniel Korski said he decided ‘with a heavy heart’ to withdraw from the mayoral contest
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Your support makes all the difference.The Tory London mayoral candidate who allegedly groped a TV producer has pulled out of the contest.
Screenwriter and novelist Daisy Goodwin claims that Daniel Korski groped her breast after a meeting at Downing Street more than a decade ago.
Ms Goodwin has filed a formal complaint against Mr Korski and said she has “been contacted by other women with some very interesting stories”. Mr Korski has “categorically” denied Ms Goodwin’s claims.
In a statement, Mr Korski said: “I have decided, with a heavy heart, to withdraw from the Conservative mayoral contest.
“I categorically deny the allegation against me. Nothing was ever put to me formally ten years ago. Nor seven years ago when the allegation was alluded to. No investigation has ever taken place. I have been clear I would welcome and constructively participate in any investigation.
“However, the pressure on my family because of this false and unproven allegation, and the inability to get a hearing for my message of ‘The London Dream’, makes it impossible for my campaign to carry on.”
In reponse to the announcement, Ms Goodwin said is “glad” that Mr Korski has withdrawn from the race to be the Tory candidate for the London mayoralty.
Daisy Goodwin could also lodge complaint with Tory party
Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme earlier, Daisy Goodwin did not rule out making a complaint to Conservative party headquarters.
She said: “I assume that because this happened in Downing Street that I should complain to them, but I’m happy to complain to the Conservative Party as well.”
Watch: Daniel Korski breaks silence on groping allegations
Watch live: Rishi Sunak faces PMQs as Tory mayoral hopeful Daniel Korski accused of groping TV producer
PMQs is now unde way. You can watch Rishi Sunak face questioning live with The Independent, as questions hang over his response to groping allegations against Tory London mayoral hopeful Daniel Korski:
Rishi Sunak has ‘given up’, claims Keir Starmer
You can tell by Rishi Sunak’s body language that he has “given up”, Sir Keir Starmer claimed, as the pair clashed at PMQs over housebuilding targets.
Claiming that a host of shadow ministers were “all against more housebuilding in their areas”, the prime minister hit back at the Labour leader as he jibed: “They don’t have to worry too much, because he’s never actually kept a promise he’s made.”
Sir Keir retorted: “You can tell from his answer – not answer, his body language – he’s actually given up. And his failure isn’t just shattering the dream of those who desperately want to own their own home. It’s also hitting those who actually have a mortgage.”
“How can they ever look the British people in the eye again and claim to be the party of home ownership,” he continued, waiting until Mr Sunak’s response had finished to add: “At least he isn’t claming they are the party of home ownership any more, because we are”, again exclaiming: “He’s just given up.”
Starmer accuses Sunak of ‘softly, softly’ approach to mortgage ‘timebomb'
Sir Keir Starmer has accused Rishi Sunak of taking a “softly, softly” approach to the “Tory mortgages bombshell” by “gently asking the banks to do the right thing”, as he ridiculed the prime minister’s claim to be “100 per cent on it”.
Accusing Sir Keir of “scaring” people, Mr Sunak claimed the “practical support” in the new “mortgages charter” announced this week following talks with lenders would “save people hundreds of pounds a month”.
The Labour leader retorted: “It’s ‘housing crisis, what crisis?’ with this prime minister”, adding: “He must be the only person in the country who thinks that enough houses have being built in the last 13 years.”
Stephen Flynn calls Sunak 'near billionaire' and asks when he last struggled to pay a bill
Starmer quizzes Sunak over 300,000 new homes target
During the fiery PMQs clash over housebuilding, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer questioned whether Rishi Sunak will “actually hit his target of 300,000 new homes a year”.
The Labour leader told the Commons: “Can he point to a single person in housing, in construction, anywhere who thinks he’ll actually hit his target of 300,000 new homes a year, anyone?”
The prime minister replied: “The record is that in the last three years we’ve delivered almost record numbers of new home building in every one of those years. He talks about targets, so let’s be clear, I promised to put local people in control of new housing, I delivered on that policy within weeks of becoming prime minister.
“But I am confused… because first the shadow community and housing secretary said communities should have control, but he then said we should get the targets back and disempower local people?
“I do want to give him some advice, I don’t think it’s local people that are the problem, it’s the Labour Party policy.”
Rishi Sunak ‘literally worst person’ to lead UK through cost of living crisis, says Chris Bryant
Rishi Sunak is “literally the worst person” to be leading the country through the cost of living crisis, Labour MP Chris Bryant has said.
“The prime minister has had responsibility for the UK economy now for 1,323 days and he’s delivered,” began the Labour MP.
“He’s delivered the largest national peacetime debt ever, the largest tax burden since the Second World War, the highest core inflation since 1991, the fastest interest rate rises since 1989 and the biggest fall in living standards in our history.
“So will he stop lecturing my constituents about ‘holding their nerve’, ditch the lame excuses, and admit that he is literally the worst person to be leading this country through a cost of living crisis?”
Tories mocked over ‘0 days since last incident’ graphic
Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:
The Labour Party has mocked the Conservatives over a “0 days since last incident” social media graphic.
Tory HQ had accused Labour of “flip-flopping” by scrapping a pledge to bring in rent controls. Its Twitter account posted the graphic under an Independent article.
But social media users quickly linked the “0 days since last incident” claim to the Conservative Party, which is currently grappling with the fallout from a sexual assault allegation against a London mayoral contender.
The Labour Press account replied to the CCHQ post, suggesting the Tories “pin” it, which would keep it at the top of the party’s profile permanently.
Sunak accuses SNP of ‘complete economic illiteracy'
Rishi Sunak has accused the SNP of “complete economic illiteracy”, in a clash over public sector pay at PMQs.
SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn said: “This prime minister is out of touch, and the Tory Party is soon to be out of time.
“And what the public really want is change. But in a week where the Conservative Party and indeed the Labour Party both refused to accept proposals for public sector pay rises whilst at the same time accepting the economic damage of Brexit, is it not the case that Westminster does not offer the people real change nor real hope for the future?”
Rishi Sunak responded: “The honourable gentleman just exposes the complete economic illiteracy of the SNP position. His first question talks about the challenges posed on ordinary families by higher interest rates caused by higher inflation.
“What does his next question do? Support a policy that would increase government borrowing and make the situation worse. It just demonstrates completely candidly why the SNP’s approach to economic management is simply not fit for anyone in the United Kingdom.”