Neil Parish: MP accused of watching porn in Commons speaks ‘unbearable’ position and urged to quit by allies | Political news
The MP accused of watching porn in the Commons has been told by allies his position has become unacceptable and he should quit.
Friends of Neil Parish are said to be unhappy with the way he has remained silent and allowed speculation about his party colleagues, according to Sky News deputy political editor Sam Coates.
The Tiverton and Honiton MP, who was suspended by the Conservative Party on Friday, said he had opened the file by mistake and would continue his parliamentary duties while the investigation was ongoing.
The 65-year-old introduced himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, days after two Tory congresswomen said they witnessed him viewing pornography on her cell phone. himself on two separate occasions – once in the Commons chamber and another time at a committee.
The former farmer and MEP, who also chairs the Commons Select Committee on Environmental, Food and Rural Affairs, told the Daily Telegraph: “It’s working outdoors now, almost as a weight. lifted up from me.”
However, there have been calls for him to resign immediately with Harriet Harman of Labour saying he should resign from parliament “immediately”.
The oldest female MP described the situation as a “new low for the House of Commons” and said Mr Parish was “unfit to join parliament”.
“He should accept that and not drag the processes out,” she told BBC Radio 4.
Liberal Democrats deputy leader Daisy Cooper has called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to order Mr Parish to “resign immediately”, saying the conduct would be “considered grave misconduct” in any any other workplace.
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MP Parish apologizes for being upset
His wife, Sue Parish, to whom he has been married for 40 years, said the whole episode was “just a bit stupid” and the allegations were “very shameful”.
When asked if she knew about her husband’s previous viewing of porn, she told The Times: “No. He’s really a normal guy. He’s a lovely person. It’s true. stupid.
“People shouldn’t watch porn. He would never just sit there with everyone looking. He would never do that knowing he knew. [people were looking].
“These women were quite right to be [upset] like they used to be. I don’t know what will happen in these cases. I don’t know if it has happened before or not. “
She added that pornography was “demeaning” to women but said it would be “stupid” to let it come between them and added: “I’m pretty tough, you have to move on. , right?”
Two Conservative female MPs brought charges against Mr Parish during a meeting of Tory MPs backing female MPs on Tuesday night, but the whip office did not make his name public.
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Neil Parish’s colleague reacts
An MP at the meeting said that Chris Heaton-Harris, the Tory whip leader, looked “horrified” when they informed him, and asked for the man’s identity.
Mr Parish is now understood to be the focus of two investigations – one launched by congressman Kathryn Stone after he introduced himself to her, and another by the Independent Complaints and Complaints Authority (ICGS), to which one of the congresswoman’s witnesses introduced him. .
