Tory MP accused of watching pornography in
Commons chamber
Published 2
hours ago
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-61245040
Caroline
Lucas asks Boris Johnson if sexual harassment is “grounds for dismissal”
An independent
investigation could be launched into claims a Tory MP watched porn on his phone
while in the Commons.
The claims
were made at a meeting on Tuesday night at which female Conservative MPs shared
accounts of alleged sexism and harassment.
One of
those who reported the unnamed MP was a female minister who said she saw him
viewing the material while sat beside him in the Commons chamber.
Tory Chief
Whip Chris Heaton-Harris has escalated a review of the claims.
Mr
Heaton-Harris, who is in charge of Tory MPs' discipline, was initially said to
be looking into the matter - before he asked for it to be referred to
Parliament's Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS).
A
spokesperson for his office said: "Upon the conclusion of any ICGS
investigation the chief whip will take appropriate action."
The female
minister said the incident occurred last week and that she had also seen the MP
watching pornography during a hearing of a select committee, The Times
reported.
A second
female Tory MP said she had witnessed the same man watching pornography inside
the Commons and that she had tried but been unable to capture video proof.
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It comes
amid a renewed debate about the culture in Westminster was sparked by a Mail on
Sunday story which claimed Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner sometimes tries
to distract Boris Johnson during Prime Minister's Questions by crossing and
uncrossing her legs.
The article
was criticised as being "misogynistic" by numerous figures on both
sides of the House, including the prime minister.
In the
Commons on Wednesday, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas cited a report in The
Sunday Times that said a total of 56 MPs, including three cabinet ministers,
were facing allegations of sexual misconduct, and asked the prime minister
whether such behaviour was grounds for dismissal under the ministerial code.
Mr Johnson
replied that sexual harassment was "intolerable" and "of
course... grounds for dismissal".
'Shell
shocked'
The claims
about the MP viewing pornography were made on Tuesday at a meeting of the 2022
group - a group of female Conservative MPs set up to push for measures to
improve the gender balance in the party. They were first reported by The Sun
and The Mirror.
Conservative
MP Pauline Latham, who was at the meeting, told BBC News many attendees had
come out "totally shell shocked".
"They
couldn't believe something like that could happen in what's really a
professional place," she said.
She said
she did not think "anybody knows who [the accused MP] is" besides the
MP himself, the people who reported him, and the chief whip.
She added
that, if the allegations were found to be true, the MP should "lose their
job" and be thrown out of the Conservative Party.
"We
are supposed to set an example in this place and that is absolutely appalling.
I am totally shocked," she said.
The Labour
Party said it would be a "sackable offence" for MPs to watch
pornography in the Commons chamber.
Shadow
Commons Leader Thangam Debbonaire told the BBC she was "shocked but not
surprised" by the story because "there is a culture of sexism in
Parliament".
SNP MP
Kirsty Blackman told Politics Live the culprit should be kicked out of
Parliament, adding: "They have been elected to represent their
constituents not to sit in that chamber and watch porn."
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