Daniel Korski quits race to be Tory mayoral candidate after groping allegation
D
aniel Korski has deserted the competition to be the Tory candidate for the London mayoralty after a TV producer accused him of groping her a decade in the past.
The Conservative mentioned on Wednesday he was pulling out of the race “with a heavy heart” as a result of the allegation made by tv producer Daisy Goodwin was turning into a “distraction”.
Mr Korski had been resisting strain to drop out as his supporters started distancing themselves and Downing Street described the allegation as “very serious”.
But he issued a press release asserting his exit after Ms Goodwin made a proper grievance to the Cabinet Office over the alleged sexual assault in No 10, when Mr Korski was a particular adviser to then-prime minister David Cameron.
“I have decided, with a heavy heart, to withdraw from the Conservative mayoral contest,” Mr Korski mentioned.
“I categorically deny the allegation against me. Nothing was ever put to me formally 10 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.
“The news agenda is becoming a distraction from the race and the Conservative Party.”
Ms Goodwin, who wrote the hit TV present Victoria, welcomed his departure.
She instructed the PA news company: “I am glad he has withdrawn – it shows that women can speak out against misbehaviour in the workplace and be believed.
“If I was in the ethics department of the Cabinet Office I would be wondering why such behaviour went unchecked in Downing Street.”
The Conservative Party confirmed the race would go forward with the 2 remaining candidates, Mozammel Hossain and Susan Hall, with hustings happening as scheduled from June 12 to July 3, regardless of requires the choice course of to be reopened.
Samuel Kasumu, a former mayoral hopeful who didn’t make the Conservative longlist, was amongst these urging CCHQ to “put this right” by way of a contemporary contest with “more direct involvement” from members.
Ms Hall mentioned Mr Korski ought to nonetheless be investigated over the groping allegation.
“Daniel fought a hard campaign with lots of fresh ideas and I appreciate his contribution to the debate.
“The allegations against him are serious and it is right that they are investigated in the proper way,” she tweeted.
Earlier within the day Ms Goodwin mentioned she had been contacted by different ladies with “some very interesting stories” that make her “feel entirely justified” about making the allegation towards Mr Korski.
And Downing Street declined to say if Rishi Sunak believes Mr Korski is an acceptable candidate.
The Prime Minister’s press secretary mentioned: “Obviously these allegations are very serious. They are allegations that have obviously been denied by Daniel Korski himself. They should be handled in the proper way.”
Asked if Mr Sunak would encourage anybody with complaints towards former employees members to return ahead, she mentioned: “Yes, of course.”
I didn’t do what’s been alleged, I completely didn’t do this
No 10 wouldn’t set out whether or not it could fall inside the remit of the Cabinet Office of the Conservative Party to research the allegation.
But Mr Sunak’s official spokesman instructed a “serious allegation” could be checked out by the “appropriate authority” whatever the passage of time.
Ms Goodwin confirmed she has submitted a grievance to the Cabinet Office, though she instructed PA the method was “harder than trying to get a telephone engineer”.
She instructed BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that since making the allegation public she has been “contacted by other women with some very interesting stories, which clearly I can’t talk about for legal reasons, but I feel entirely justified in having written a piece and naming him”.
Education minister Claire Coutinho instructed Sky News she was placing her help for Mr Korski “on pause” over the “very serious and concerning” allegation.
Senior Tory Robert Halfon had additionally reportedly suspended his help for the Korski marketing campaign.
Mr Korski used an interview with TalkTV on Tuesday to disclaim performing inappropriately when assembly Ms Goodwin.
“I didn’t do what’s been alleged. I absolutely didn’t do that. Ten years ago, when it happened, nothing was said to me. Seven years ago, when this first came out, nobody alleged anything to me,” he mentioned.
“I’ve had countless meetings in Number 10, have had thousands of meetings since then in my business career. I treat everybody with the utmost respect.
“I work hard to create an empowering and respectful environment, and I sit appropriately in chairs, and I try to treat everybody with respect in order to get the best out of a professional situation.
“I don’t know how she could have come away with that perception.”
The Conservative Party mentioned it isn’t investigating the allegation.