Tory MP who 'watched porn by mistake' refuses to quit as wife speaks of 'embarrassment'

29 April 2022, 15:27 | Updated: 30 April 2022, 09:56

The Conservative MP for Tiverton and Honiton Neil Parish has had the whip removed and will be investigated for allegedly watching pornography "by error" in the Commons.

Mr Parish has reported himself to the Standards Committee of the House of Commons.

He issued the following statement this afternoon: "Following recent allegations regarding an MP’s use of their mobile phone in Parliament, I have referred myself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards in the House of Commons.

"I will be cooperating fully with any investigation, and whilst it is ongoing I will continue to perform my duties as MP for Tiverton and Honiton.

"I will not be making further comments at this stage."

Speaking to the BBC Mr Parish said he would co-operate fully with the inquiry and when asked if he made and mistake and opened something on his phone in error, he said: "I did, but let the inquiry look at that."

Adding that he had only told his wife this afternoon: "I'd just been to a surgery in Honiton and this is God’s own truth, the mobile phone was completely flat – I had to come back on the M5 otherwise I would have spoken to her sooner."

Mr Parish's wife, Sue Parish, told The Times on Friday that the allegation was "very embarrassing" and said pornography is "degrading and demeaning" to women.

She told the newspaper: "He's quite a normal guy, really. He's a lovely person. It's just so stupid.

"People shouldn't be looking at pornography. He would never just sit there with people looking. He would never just do that knowing [people were looking].

"These ladies were quite right to be as [upset] as they were. I've just no idea what happens in these circumstances. I don't know whether it's ever happened before."

A spokeswoman for Tory Chief Whip Chris Heaton-Harris said: "Having spoken to the Chief Whip this afternoon, Neil Parish MP is reporting himself to the Standards Committee of the House of Commons.

"Mr Parish has been suspended from the Conservative Whip pending the outcome of that investigation."

Mr Heaton-Harris called for an independent investigation into the pornography-watching claims after the allegations surfaced during a meeting of Tory MPs at Westminster on Tuesday.

Safeguarding minister Rachel Maclean told LBC Mr Parish should "of course" resign.

Thangam Debbonaire MP, Labour’s Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, said: "The Conservatives knew for days about the disgusting behaviour of one of their MPs and tried to cover it up.

"From the Owen Paterson scandal to their failure to act against their paedophile MP Imran Ahmad Khan, this is a government rotting from the head down. Britain deserves better."

Tory MP Neil Parish should 'of course' resign

Read more: Cabinet minister tells LBC she was pinned against wall by male MP with 'wandering hands'

The claims about pornography followed reports that 56 MPs, including three Cabinet ministers, are facing allegations of sexual misconduct referred to the ICGS.

They also follow outrage over The Mail On Sunday publishing "sexist" and disputed claims from unnamed Tory MPs that deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner tried to distract Mr Johnson with her legs during Prime Minister's Questions.

News of Mr Parish having the whip removed comes hours after a minister told LBC she was pinned against a wall by a male MP with "wandering hands" many years ago as she spoke about misogyny in Parliament.

International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan revealed she has been at the "sharp-end of misogyny" by some of her male colleagues, "many times over".

Trade Secretary says she's been subjected to 'wandering hands'

She told LBC's Nick Ferrari at Breakfast she was pinned against a wall by a male MP "many years ago" - and the politician involved is no longer in Parliament.

"Well, we might describe it as wandering hands, if you like, we might describe it as a number of years ago being pinned up against a wall by a male MP who is now no longer in the House, I'm pleased to say, declaring that I must want him because he was a powerful man," she told Nick.

Ms Trevelyan said she has experienced "wandering hands" from "half a dozen" male colleagues during her time in Parliament, some of whom were "repeat offenders".

She added these "power abuses by a small minority" of male colleagues are "completely unacceptable".