'He doesn’t like scrutiny': Sir Chris Bryant tears into Nigel Farage over 'farce' by-election

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The Minister of State for Trade Policy of the United Kingdom told Nick Ferrari at Breakfast the Reform UK leader's press conference earlier this week as a "hissy fit".

Farage spectacularly quit as MP and vowed to fight a "people versus establishment" by-election in the Essex seat amid a row over his finances and a parliamentary investigation. Farage denies any wrongdoing in the row over undeclared gifts and donations prior to election.

However, it appears the "stunt" may have backfired as Labour, the Lib Dems, the Conservatives, the Greens and Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain have agreed not to put up candidates labelling the by-election as a "circus" - meaning his only confirmed challenger so far is Count Binface.

Commenting on this, the Rhondda MP said: "He doesn't like being scrutinised. I mean, none of us particularly enjoy it, but, you know, it is part of the British system, and I don't think anybody should be above criticism.

"And if you've got— if your skin is too thin in politics, frankly, you know, you're in the wrong game”.

He also accused Farage of lobbying for cryptocurrencies on behalf of Thailand-based tycoon Christopher Harborne, calling it "the number one crime in Parliament".

"I understand that lots of people might say, who cares whether somebody registers £5 million? I mean, it's an awful lot of money, don't get me wrong, but who cares about registering?

"Well, people should, because we've had a rule in Parliament since 1695 that you cannot engage in paid lobbying."

He added that yesterday Andrew Bailey, the governor of the Bank of England, revealed Nigel Farage tried to influence him about cryptocurrencies in precisely the same way as Christopher Harborne's lobbying company did.

“It's not for me to decide what the parliamentary commissioner may investigate or what they will, how, what they will conclude or whatever.

"It's a perfectly fair process with an appeal and all the rest of it. But that to me looks like paid lobbying, and that is the number one crime in Parliament.”

Sir Chris was also quizzed on 'Pestminster' - a list drawn up by Labour MPs, seen by LBC, containing more than 30 names of top MPs and Peers, including those who have served at the highest levels of government accused of inappropriate sexual behaviour.

Commenting on this, he believes inappropriate sexual behaviour "will always be a problem" in Parliament because "it’s a system based on patronage and on power".

He said many women in Parliament, as well as young male and female researchers, have had to deal with inappropriate behaviour over the years, citing the Christopher Pincher case as a well-known example.

He suggested the term “handsy” can be deployed to downplay the seriousness of what may in fact amount to sexual assault.

However, he added he thinks Parliament to some degree has "cleaned up its act".

"I think there'll always be a problem because it's a system based on patronage and on power, and people have a lot of power over other people's lives.

"In that circumstance, any abuse of power, should be out of Parliament, let alone out of the Cabinet."