THE Tories could face five by-elections after Parliament’s standards watchdog found Chris Pincher MP drunkenly groped two men while working as the party’s deputy chief whip — recommending an eight-week suspension.

The MP was under pressure to resign last night after the standards committee said the “egregious case of sexual misconduct” last summer was “profoundly damaging” and “especially grave” because it amounted to an abuse of power.

It upheld allegations Mr Pincher “groped” two men at London’s exclusive Carlton Club, concluding that he broke the MPs’ code of conduct by behaving in a way that would cause “significant damage to the reputation and integrity” of the Commons.

Boris Johnson resigned as PM after appointing Mr Pincher to the senior role overseeing party discipline despite being aware of an official complaint about his behaviour.

The committee found the MP for Tamworth’s actions in June last year were “unwanted, inappropriate and upsetting,” in what amounted to an “egregious case of sexual misconduct.”

The eight-week suspension is one of the longest ever recommended and greatly exceeds the 10-day threshold that could trigger a recall petition in his Staffordshire seat.

Voters could expel Mr Pincher if the Commons approves the report from the committee, comprised of MPs of different parties and lay members.

Two of three by-elections due 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.

A fourth is expected after Nadine Dorries vowed she would resign as MP when the privileges committee found that Mr Johnson, her ally, misled Parliament over Tory lockdown gatherings in 2021.

Mr Pincher, who resigned as a government whip after the incident and subsequently lost the Tory whip, had denied breaching the code of conduct, but told the investigation he was “very sorry” for his actions, which he was unable to recall.

In a statement, Mr Pincher added he apologised “sincerely” and would not fight to remain as Tamworth’s MP.

Labour deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner called on Mr Pincher today to “do the decent thing and resign” as an MP.

The Liberal Democrats also urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to “show some backbone” by voting to suspend Mr Pincher when the report goes before the Commons.

The PM’s official spokesman said it was for Mr Pincher to decide whether he should quit Parliament.