Cotswold MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown has hit out at PM Boris Johnson over the handling of disgraced former Conservative Party deputy chief whip Chris Pincher.

Mr Pincher - who is MP for Tamworth - resigned from the whips' office on Thursday evening after releasing a letter to the PM.

In the letter, he admitted drinking too much the previous evening at the Carlton Club, a private members club for Conservative members in London.

It is allegedly that Mr Pincher groped two men at the club. 

In the letter he said: "I think the right thing to do in the circumstances is for me to resign as deputy chief whip.

"I owe it to you and the people I've caused upset to, to do this."

The Tory whip was removed from him on Friday afternoon - meaning he now sits as an independent MP.

But questions have been asked why it wasn't removed immediately. 

Commenting on the fall-out from the episode, Sir Geoffrey said: “Yet again we have got another MP behaving inappropriately and being handled by the Prime Minister and the party in a very clunky way.

“It was reported that a whip was present at the function and was informed of exactly what had occurred.

"The party should have immediately carried out a proper investigation of its own following Chris Pincher’s admission in his resignation letter that he had behaved inappropriately.

“The whip should have been suspended immediately pending a full investigation by the new House of Commons Independent Complaints and Grievance Group.” 

Mr Pincher is currently being investigated for the allegedly groping incident by Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) and has said he is seeking 'professional medical support'.

He said on Saturday that he was “truly sorry” for his behaviour and vowed to fully cooperate with the inquiry.

The Prime Minister is now facing questions over why he apppointed Mr Pincher as deputy chief whip despite previous concerns over his behaviour.

Now sitting as an independent, Mr Pincher is battling to remain in the House of Commons despite opponents saying his position is untenable.

In a statement, released on Saturday, he said: “I respect the Prime Minister’s decision to suspend the whip whilst an inquiry is under way, and I will cooperate fully with it.

“As I told the Prime Minister, I drank far too much on Wednesday night, embarrassing myself and others, and I am truly sorry for the upset I caused.

“The stresses of the last few days, coming on top of those over the last several months, have made me accept that I will benefit from professional medical support.

“I am in the process of seeking that now, and I hope to be able to return to my constituency duties as soon as possible.”