Former Save The Children boss Justin Forsyth has admitted he had “unsuitable and thoughtless conversations” with female staff during his time at the charity.

The former Downing Street comms chief has been under scrutiny following sexual assault allegations made against Brendan Cox, widower of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox, who he worked with at the time.

Forsyth himself, now a deputy executive director at Unicef, faced three complaints of inappropriate behaviour towards female staff himself before he quit as chief executive in 2015, according to the BBC.

He was accused of sending texts to young female staff about how they looked and what they were wearing.

He told Radio 4′s PM programme he had “apologised unreservedly” to those involved, admitting he had had“unsuitable and thoughtless conversations” with workers.

But he added he thought the issue had been dealt with “many years ago” through a mediation process, with no formal complaints made.

Save the Children has commissioned a review of its organisation culture, in which it promises to address “any behavioural challenges among senior leadership”.

Cox, who quit the two charities he set up in his late wife’s name when the historic claims against him resurfaced, admitted he “made mistakes and behaved in a way that caused some women hurt and offence”.

Jo’s family have pledged to stand by him as they continue to help raise the couple’s two young children.