TV producer Daisy Goodwin accuses Tory mayoral hopeful of groping

A novelist and TV producer has accused a Conservative mayoral hopeful of groping her 10 years ago.

Daisy Goodwin told The Times Daniel Korski sexually assaulted her by putting his hand on her breast during a meeting at Downing Street.

He has denied the allegation "in the strongest possible terms".

Ms Goodwin, creator of TV series Victoria, met with Mr Korski - then a special advisor to David Cameron - to discuss a proposed TV show.

Ms Goodwin told The Times she met the government special advisor - also known as spads - at a social event and he suggested they meet.

She said Mr Korski arrived late for their meeting, remarked on her sunglasses and said Goodwin looked "like Monica Bellucci, the 50 something Italian actress who had recently made headlines by appearing in a Bond film opposite Daniel Craig as an older woman".

Ms Goodwin said this felt "awkwardly flirtatious" and "odd".

She said during the meeting Mr Korski "put his feet on the edge of my chair, leaning back so that I could get a clear view of his crotch".

"When we both stood up at the end of the meeting and went to the door, the spad 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."

A spokesperson for Mr Korski told the BBC: "In the strongest possible terms, Dan categorically denies any allegation of inappropriate behaviour whatsoever."

Mr Korski left a Conservative Environment Network husting early on Monday evening.

Ms Goodwin spoke about the alleged assault in 2017 but did not name the official and said she chose to name him now as Mr Korski was running to be the Tory candidate for mayor of London.

She said: "If this is a pattern of behaviour then the people of London deserve to know."

Mr Korski is one of three shortlisted candidates hoping to be selected as the Conservative party candidate for the mayoral election next year.

Whoever is selected will go against incumbent Sadiq Khan next May.

Mr Korski has centred his campaign on improving public services through technology.

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

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