Daniel Korski: Tory mayoral hopeful denies groping TV producer Daisy Goodwin

Conservative London mayoral hopeful Daniel Korski says "I just didn't do what is being alleged", after novelist and TV producer Daisy Goodwin accused him of groping her 10 years ago.

Ms Goodwin says Mr Korski sexually assaulted her in 2013 by putting his hand on her breast during a meeting at 10 Downing Street.

Speaking to Talk TV, he said: "All I can say is that she is wrong".

He insisted he was still in the race to become the Tory mayoral candidate.

Asked if he has always been faithful to his wife, Mr Korski said: "I've had a fantastic marriage to my wife and I don't think it's appropriate to talk about anything else."

He confirmed that when he was being vetted to be a prospective candidate for London mayor he had told Conservative Party officials about the claim.

Ms Goodwin had spoken out in 2017 about the alleged assault but had not named anyone.

"During the process, I was asked if there were any outstanding issues the party would need to be aware of and I said to the party, 'seven years ago there was a story, I was never named in the story, and as far as I know there was no investigation'. But I did mention this to the party."

The Conservative Party has said it will not investigate the allegation as no formal complaint was made.

During the meeting between the pair 10 years ago, Ms Goodwin said Mr Korski made an "awkwardly flirtatious" comment and "put his feet on the edge of my chair, leaning back so that I could get a clear view of his crotch".

She accused Mr Korski of putting his hand on her breast as he stood up to leave a meeting.

Ms Goodwin said she had asked him "are you really touching my breast" after which he sprang away from her and left.

Mr Korski told Talk TV that the meeting had happened, but denied he had acted suggestively.

He said: "I sit appropriately in chairs and I try to treat everybody with respect in order to try to get the best out of our professional situations.

"So I can categorically deny the allegation that has been made."

On whether anyone else had ever made similar accusations or questioned his behaviour, he said: "Categorically no."

Ms Goodwin said she had chosen to identify Mr Korski now because he was running to be the Conservative candidate for the contest to be mayor of London.

She told the BBC on Monday: "I hope that my example will encourage women to come forward - no women should have to put up with this kind of behaviour."

Mr Korski is one of three candidates shortlisted by the Conservative Party ahead of next year's election, at which Sadiq Khan will be running for Labour for a third term as mayor.

Earlier this month, Mr Korski told the BBC he was "a businessman" who would "put digitalisation at the core of how I improve London".

Conservative Campaign Headquarters said: "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."Although Downing Street has refused to be drawn on the individual case, or say whether there will be a Cabinet Office investigation into Mr Korski, the prime minister's official spokesman said Mr Sunak believed No10 was a safe environment for women.

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