A TORY MP who was sacked as trade minister following “serious misconduct” claims is still on track for knighthood, it was revealed today.

An eyewitness claimed that Conor Burns touched a man’s thigh in a hotel bar on Tuesday during the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, the BBC reported.

The encounter was raised with the Tory whips by a third party leading to the dismissal of Mr Burns from the Department for International Trade.

The MP has denied wrongdoing and the man he allegedly touched has not yet spoken out.

The ex-minister reportedly learned on Friday that he is still in line for a knighthood in former Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list.

The decision to remove him based on a third-party complaint has angered some Tory MPs including senior ministers.

A Cabinet member told The Times that they are “convinced” Mr Burns was sacked because he infuriated PM Liz Truss during the Tory conference by making thinly veiled threats at her.

“There’s a lot of upset in the parliamentary party,” one MP said.

“People think it’s a put-up job by the whips.”

Another senior minister said: “There’s a code of conduct and I don’t think it has been followed.”

Mr Burns previously resigned as trade minister in 2020 after the parliamentary standards watchdog said that he used his position to intimidate a member of the public.

Mike Clancy, general secretary of Prospect union, which represents staff who work for both Houses of Parliament, said that it was “right” that Mr Burns has been removed from government following the allegations.

“However, it highlights once again that no formal mechanism exists to prevent MPs accused of this kind of serious misconduct from attending Westminster and interacting with staff, other MPs, visitors and school groups,” he said.

“We hope that arrangements will be put in place to make sure this MP does not access Parliament to protect others at Westminster, and that this is adhered to, while these allegations are investigated.”

Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said that the report is the “latest in a long line of serious misconduct allegations,” and “raises serious questions about the Prime Minister’s judgement in refusing to appoint an independent ethics adviser.”

“For those who hoped Liz Truss would turn the page on years of Tory sleaze, we’re already seeing more of the same,” she said.