Boris Johnson's dad Stanley Johnson accused of smacking Tory MP's bum in Blackpool - with journalist saying he 'groped' her too

A senior Conservative MP and a journalist have both accused Stanley Johnson, the Prime Minister’s father, of inappropriately touching them.
By Michael Holmes
Published 16th Nov 2021, 09:00 BST
Updated 16th Nov 2021, 10:28 BST
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Caroline Nokes said the elder Mr Johnson forcefully smacked her on the backside and said she has “a lovely seat” in 2003 ahead of him running to be a Tory MP.

Mr Johnson declined to comment about her allegation made to Sky News, other than to say he has “no recollection of Caroline Nokes at all”.

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The allegation prompted Ailbhe Rea, a journalist for the New Statesman magazine, to accuse Mr Johnson of having “groped” her at the 2019 Tory conference.

Then Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith is watched on by his wife Betsy as he delivers his keynote speech at the Conservative party conference in Blackpool on Thursday, October 9, 2003 (Picture: Stefan Rousseau/Press Association)Then Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith is watched on by his wife Betsy as he delivers his keynote speech at the Conservative party conference in Blackpool on Thursday, October 9, 2003 (Picture: Stefan Rousseau/Press Association)
Then Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith is watched on by his wife Betsy as he delivers his keynote speech at the Conservative party conference in Blackpool on Thursday, October 9, 2003 (Picture: Stefan Rousseau/Press Association)
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Ms Nokes, the chair of the Commons Women and Equalities Committee, earlier suggested that the Prime Minister’s father inappropriately touched her during the Conservative party conference in Blackpool 2003 ahead of Mr Johnson running in the Teignbridge seat in Devon in 2005.

“I’ve had male MPs stick their hands on my backside in Strangers’ Bar (in Parliament),” she said during a panel discussion.

“And I can remember a really prominent man smacking me on the backside about as hard as he could and going, ‘Oh, Romsey, you’ve got a lovely seat’.

Stanley Johnson, right, at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester last month (Picture: Stefan Rousseau/Press Association)Stanley Johnson, right, at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester last month (Picture: Stefan Rousseau/Press Association)
Stanley Johnson, right, at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester last month (Picture: Stefan Rousseau/Press Association)
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“Stanley Johnson did that to me ahead of the ‘05 election, so it was Blackpool… 2003/4.

“I didn’t do anything and I feel ashamed by that… now I probably would.”

Responding to the allegation on Twitter, Ms Rea said: “Stanley Johnson also groped me at a party at Conservative conference in 2019.

“I am grateful to Caroline Nokes for calling out something that none of us should have to put up with, not least from the Prime Minister’s father.”

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Mr Johnson lost the campaign to become an MP in 2005 but had served as a Conservative member of the European Parliament between 1979 and 1984.

Mr Johnson, now 81, did not immediately respond when contacted by the PA news agency about both of the allegations.

But, regarding the initial accusation, he told Sky News: “I have no recollection of Caroline Nokes at all. But there you go … and no reply.”

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