Tory London mayoral hopeful Daniel Korski denies groping TV producer

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The Tory contest to choose a London mayoral candidate has been hit by sleaze allegations after one of the frontrunners was accused of groping a woman TV producer. Former Downing Street advisor Daniel Korski is said to have to touched the woman’s breast during a meeting at the prime minister’s official residence in 2013. Daisy Goodwin told the Daily Mail she was invited to a meeting at Number 10 to discuss a possible TV project. “At the end of the meeting we both stood up and Korski, to my astonishment, put his hand on my breast,” said Goodwin. “I looked at the hand and then in my most affronted voice said, "Are you actually touching my breast? “He dropped his hand and laughed nervously. I swept out in what can only be called high dudgeon.”

Korski said he “categorically” denied an allegation of groping and said in a statement on Twitter: “I want to take a moment to address the recent allegation that has been levelled against me. I understand that this news may have caused concern, and I want to assure you I categorically deny any wrong-doing.

“Politics can be a rough and challenging business. Unfortunately, in the midst of this demanding environment, this baseless allegation from the past has resurfaced.

“It is disheartening to find myself connected to this allegation after so many years, but I want to unequivocally state that I categorically deny any claim of inappropriate behaviour. I denied when it was alluded to seven years ago and I do so now.

“To be clear – nothing was raised at the time, nothing was raised with me seven years ago when this was alluded to and even now, I’m not aware that there was an official complaint.”

Korski is one of the finalists in a three-horse race to select a Conservative candidate to challenge Labour’s Sadiq Khan in May 2024. His opponents are London Assembly member Susan Hall and Bangladeshi-born barrister Mozamell Hossain KC.

Footage seen by ITV News shows Korski walking out of an election hustings meeting in Southwark yesterday before it ended. Conservative Party headquarters issued a statement in a bid minimise the damage to its selection process.

“The Conservative Party has an established Code of Conduct and formal processes where complaints can be made in confidence. The Party considers all complaints made under the Code of Conduct but does not conduct investigations where the Party would not be considered to have primary jurisdiction over another authority,” said a spokesperson.

This is not the first time Ms Goodwin has spoken about the incident, but she said that she now wanted to name Mr Korski given the fact he was in the running to become the Conservative mayoral candidate.

Ms Goodwin, the creator of TV series Victoria, said: “Naively I assumed that if everyone already knew then his egregious behaviour would not be tolerated any more. “But now the spad who groped me, aka Daniel Korski, is running to be the Tory candidate for mayor of London. This I think is a reason to name him.”

At the time of the allegations, Mr Korski was a special adviser to then-prime minister David Cameron. Downing Street refused to be drawn on the individual case or whether there would be a Cabinet Office investigation into Mr Korski. But asked if Rishi Sunak believes No 10 is a safe environment for women, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “Yes.”

Labour demanded the Conservatives suspend Mr Korski from the candidate selection process. Battersea MP Marsha De Cordova MP said: “The Conservatives must suspend Daniel Korski with immediate effect while they conduct a thorough investigation given the seriousness of sexual assault allegations levelled against him. "Ignoring these allegations while the Prime Minister claims that tackling sexual violence against women is a priority for his government is disingenuous. "I hope the Cabinet Office will review its decision not to launch an investigation against Mr Korski - who was a senior government employee at the time of the alleged incident."

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