Conservative London mayoral candidate accused of groping

A Conservative London mayoral candidate has been accused of groping a woman.

Daniel Korski is a Tory favourite for mayor and a former No 10 adviser who is being accused of groping TV producer and writer Daisy Goodwin ten years ago. 

The incident is alleged to have taken place during a meeting at Downing Street, with Korski denying the accusation “in the strongest possible terms”.

In 2017, Goodwin discussed the alleged assault but did not name the individual. 

But now, following Korski’s mayoral candidate title, Goodwin chose to name him.

Daisy Goodwin, who has accused Daniel Korski of groping her a decade ago. (Image: PA)

Tory London mayoral candidate accused of groping

Goodwin wrote an article in the Times sharing: “When we both stood up at the end of the meeting and went to the door, the spad (Korski) stepped towards me and suddenly put his hand on my breast. Astonished, I said loudly, ‘Are you really touching my breast?’ The spad sprang away from me and I left.

“Although I suppose legally his action could be called sexual assault, I have to say that I did not feel frightened. I was older, taller and very possibly wiser than the spad, and having worked for the BBC in the Eighties I knew how to deal with gropers.

“What I felt was surprise and some humiliation. I was a successful award-winning TV producer with 40 or so people working for me; this was not behaviour that I would have tolerated in my office.

I don’t sound like a traditional conservative.

I may not even look like a traditional conservative.

I look like what I am, a digital native, an entrepreneur, an immigrant – a 21st century Londoner.

A conservative who can win in London.#korski4London pic.twitter.com/hQR6tL73yZ

— Daniel Korski (@DanielKorski) June 16, 2023

“By the time I got back to work I had framed it as an anecdote about the spad who groped me in No 10. His behaviour was so bizarre that I couldn’t help seeing the humour in it. It was as if I had walked into Carry On Downing Street.”

A spokesperson for Mr Korski said: “In the strongest possible terms, Dan categorically denies any allegation of inappropriate behaviour whatsoever.”

Ms Goodwin, the creator of TV series Victoria, added: “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.”