War is raging and prices are spiking but there’s only question on the people in Westminster’s lips: who is the MP accused of watching porn in the House of Commons? The investigative sleuths of HM parliamentary press gallery – those fearless seekers after truth – have dedicated much of their energy these past two days trying to work out just which MP was spotted by two female colleagues looking at such images in the chamber and in a committee.
Now though, the Telegraph has finally succeeded where many others have failed. Devon MP Neil Parish, 65, has this afternoon had the Tory whip withdrawn from him. After discussing the allegations with the Chief Whip Chris Heaton-Harris, married Parish has now reported himself to the Standards Committee of the House of Commons. He is the chairman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee and was first elected to Parliament in the 2010 General Election.
Incredibly, Parish actually went on GB News earlier this week to discuss this story. He told presenter Darren McCaffrey that ‘You are going to get people that step over the line’ and ‘I don’t think there’s necessarily a huge culture here but I do think this has to be dealt with and dealt with seriously.’ Presumably the backbencher will demanding the strongest possible punishment to, er, himself for such shenanigans.
The party had initially referred the claims to the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme, which investigates sexual harassment and bullying, meaning Parish now faces two probes. A spokesperson for the Chief Whip 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.’
Clearly though it’s not just the Tory party taking this seriously. As MPs went back to their constituencies today under a cloud of sleaze claims, one of Steerpike’s spies spotted a pest control van leaving the parliamentary estate. The jokes really do write themselves…
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