Britain’s ruling Conservative party on Friday announced the suspension of one of its MPs pending an investigation into claims he watched pornography on his mobile phone in the House of Commons chamber recently.
The identification of the 65 year-old MP Neil Parish, has actually put to an end the days of speculation since the allegation emerged on Tuesday, even as accusations of a misogynistic environment in parliament has continued to build up.
‘Having spoken to the Chief Whip this afternoon, Neil Parish MP is reporting himself to the Standards Committee of the House of Commons,’ said a spokeswoman for Chief Whip Chris Heaton-Harris, who is saddled with the responsibility of ensuring party discipline.
“Mr Parish has been suspended from the Conservative whip pending the outcome of that investigation,” she said, meaning he has been temporarily suspended from the party.
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Parish who is a farmer chairs the Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee. He was questioned about the porn allegation on Wednesday even before he had been publicly identified.
‘I think the whips office will do a thorough investigation and we will wait and see that result and I think from that then the decision will have to be made what action will be taken,’ Parish told correspondents
He also went on to deny that there was a large cultural problem in parliament.
‘We’ve got some 650 members of parliament in what is a very intense area,’ Parish submitted.
‘We are going to get people that step over the line. I don’t think there’s necessarily a huge culture here but I think it does have to be dealt with and dealt with seriously and that’s what the whips will do.’
Africa Daily News, New York reports that no fewer than 56 MPs, including three ministers, are being probed at the moment over allegations of sexual misconduct by parliament’s own complaints office.
Africa Daily News, New York
