MPs used overseas visits to hire prostitutes and 'chase young women' fresh allegations claim
16 December 2022, 14:18
MPs have been using overseas work trips to visit prostitutes and chase women, fresh allegations claim.
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An ex-Tory MP was said to have hired a sex worker in China, causing his colleagues to joke that a "bouquet of flowers" were being sent to his room.
Another former Conservative MP wanted directions to the nearest brothel during a trip to South East Asia while one MP "routinely stayed on after these visits and linked up with young women".
MPs had gone to parties where young men and women were "supplied" to have sex and a Labour MP was alleged to be keen on Russian women.
These were said to have happened on trips organised for all-party parliamentary groups (APPGs), where MPs and peers from different parties can combine a focus on a country or issue.
About 130 of the more than 700 APPGs concentrate on one country and arrange all-expenses-paid trips for politicians.
Politico said a source described how MPs on the trips "see themselves as celebrities in their own lunchtime — they drink and behave badly and arrogantly".
"They're patronising to fellow politicians, never mind the people around them, the people from [the host country] and unfortunately waiting staff. It's boorish behaviour," the source added.
A woman who is part of a number of the APPGs said they are often packed with male backbenchers to run the groups that are focused on nice places to visit.
APPGs can use Parliamentary premises to meet, but they are not official and are mostly unregulated.
Earlier this year, Parliament's Committee on Standards warned the groups could be the centre of the "next great parliamentary scandal", raising concerns about the risk of "hostile foreign actors" being able to gain influence through APPGs.
It also warned that "commercial entities" could effectively buy access and influence to politicians if the groups were left unchecked.
