BORIS Johnson today refused to comment on the groping claims made by two women against his dad Stanley.
The tight-lipped PM wouldn’t say whether the Tories will probe the allegations made by a senior MP and a journalist.
He also refused to reveal whether he’s yet discussed the scandal with his 81-year-old father.
Boris faced a grilling during a visit to North Yorkshire, where he was promoting the Government’s new rail plan.
He was at a Network Rail hub in Gascoigne Wood, near Leeds, to plug £96 billion of spending on upgrading train services.
But instead he was dogged by questions over the behaviour of his dad.
The PM said: “It’s absolutely right everybody, women in particular, should be able, should have the confidence, to come forward and make complaints.
“There are proper procedures available for people to make their complaints, to make known what has happened and for those to be properly investigated.
“But I’m obviously not going to comment on individual cases.”
Senior Tory MP Caroline Nokes and journalist Ailbhe Rea have publicly accused Stanley touching them at Conservative party conferences.
‘I would’ve slapped him’
It comes after a top minister insisted she would’ve slapped the PM’s octogenarian dad if he had groped her.
She also slammed Westminster’s sex-pest culture and said “unacceptable” behaviour still goes on.
Speaking to HOAR, Stanley insisted he has “no recollection” of the allegations against him.
He is said to have “smacked” Ms Nokes, then a Tory parliamentary candidate, on the bum at a party conference in 2003.
Asked how she would’ve reacted to such behaviour, Ms Trevelyan said: “At the time, I would have probably slapped him.
“Which arguably isn’t a better response either, but it would’ve been an instinctive response from me.
“I think Caroline would’ve shown great personal restraint if she quietly moved away.”
She said: “I’m very, very glad that anyone stands up to be counted if this sort of behaviour that goes on. It should always be called out.
The trade secretary said the allegations against him should be thoroughly investigated.
“We have a robust system in place and I hope very much she’ll be able to work that through with the party machine.
“Any woman who receives that sort of abusive behaviour from someone absolutely should feel confident that she can stand up.
“Both face them down, but also have the support of those around her to make sure that the abuser in question does not do that.
“I would always call on anyone who feels under that sort of pressure to speak up and we will all stand by them.”
Ms Trevelyan said she had been the victim of inappropriate touching in the past but such behaviour is “much less common now”.
But she warned: “This is something all of us women- – not only in political life, in all walks of life – have for far too long had to tolerate.
“The sort of casual sexism, the wandering hand that is completely unacceptable, and most men are as horrified as you or I are.”
