Rishi Sunak will face a fifth by-election after a report into Chris Pincher which spells the end of the disgraced MP’s parliamentary career.

The standards committee recommended a suspension of eight weeks for Mr Pincher, the former government whip who has represented Tamworth since 2010 and has sat as an independent for the past year.

The suspension is far beyond the 10 days that sparks a process which gives constituents the right to recall him as an MP. If they do so, it will mean a by election in his seat of Tamworth.

Former government whip Chris Pincher’s conduct “was completely inappropriate, profoundly damaging to the individuals concerned, and represented an abuse of power”, an inquiry by Parliament’s standards watchdog found.

The Standards Committee report said: “The breach we are considering is solely whether Mr Pincher has caused significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the House as a whole, or of its Members generally.

“The perception that MPs can engage in such conduct with impunity does significantly impact public perception of the House and its Members.

“We therefore recommend that Mr Pincher be suspended from the service of the House for eight weeks.”

The Committee added the fact that Mr Pincher was a government deputy chief whip was an “aggravating factor” as “he had responsibility for enforcing party discipline and upholding standards”.

They added: “Mr Pincher’s behaviour has had a significant impact on the individuals concerned.

“There was more than one instance of this behaviour on the evening in question.

“Mr Pincher was, by his own admission, heavily intoxicated at the time the conduct took place.

“Mr Pincher’s behaviour represented an abuse of power, as he was in a position of authority.”

In mitigation, they noted that Mr Pincher expressed genuine contrition, and in his submission to this Committee has offered an apology to those affected.

They noted he had promptly resigned as a Government Minister and, in doing so, took responsibility for his actions, and had cooperated with the Commissioner’s investigation. 

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards told the MPs on the committee that he had caused “lasting damage” to the House’s reputation.

The report said: “Following his investigation, the Commissioner found that, during a visit to the Carlton Club on 29 and 30 June 2022, Mr Pincher groped two individuals; that his physical contact with those individuals was unwanted, upsetting, and deeply inappropriate; that Mr Pincher was intoxicated at the time of these events; and that his behaviour was witnessed by at least one other user of the Club and likely witnessed by others.”

The Commissioner advised the Committee that “the serious and public nature of [Mr Pincher’s] misconduct means that his conduct has caused significant and lasting damage to the reputation and integrity of the House”.

Mr Pincher resigned from the frontbench and lost the whip after being accused of drunkenly assaulting two men at the Carlton Club in London in 2022, meaning he now sits as an independant.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner called on Chris Pincher to resign as an MP.

She said: “Chris Pincher’s actions are shocking. But what’s even worse, is the way the Conservative party protected him, even promoting him despite a previous investigation into his conduct.

“Chris Pincher should now do the decent thing and resign as an MP. The people of Tamworth and the surrounding villages deserve more from their Parliamentary representative.”

His resignation from the role of deputy chief whip last year hastened the departure of Boris Johnson.

Already battling to remain prime minister while dogged by partygate allegations, Mr Johnson’s handling of the Pincher affair was the final straw for his Cabinet support.

He had appointed the MP to the senior role overseeing party discipline despite being aware of an official complaint about Mr Pincher’s prior behaviour.

Boris Johnson’s handling of the row triggered swathes of Cabinet resignations and ultimately led to the collapse of his government and departure from Downing Street.

A law passed in the wake of the expenses scandal means anyone suspended from the Commons for more than 10 days faces a recall petition.

A recall petition could be triggered in his Staffordshire seat if the committee recommends a suspension of at least 10 sitting days and the wider Commons approves it.

If 10 per cent of Tamworth voters sign it, then Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives, reeling in the national polls, will have to defend another constituency won by the Tories in 2019.

Two of three by-elections on July 20 were triggered by the resignations of Mr Johnson and his ally Nigel Adams.

The third was prompted by the resignation of David Warburton amid allegations of sexual harassment and cocaine use. 

Another is due whenever Nadine Dorries decides to formally resign.