Which Tory MP has been watching porn in the Commons?
Allegation comes amid sexism row over Basic Instinct claims about Angela Rayner
The Conservative Party is facing a fresh sexism scandal after a Tory MP was accused of repeatedly watching porn on his mobile phone in the House of Commons.
The Mirror’s political editor Pippa Crerar reported that the porn allegations were revealed at a “highly charged” meeting of backbenchers at Westminster on Tuesday night, at which “around a dozen” female MPs “shared accounts of alleged sexism and harassment by their colleagues”.
The party’s chief whip, Chris Heaton-Harris, has asked the witnesses to refer the allegations to the Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) and said he would take “appropriate action” once any investigation had concluded.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
What Crerar described as the “new Tory sexism storm” follows reports that 56 MPs are facing allegations of sexual misconduct. And claims that Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner used a Basic Instinct-style ploy to distract Boris Johnson in Parliament have sparked further anger.
Culprit identified
The porn-watching allegations were reportedly made by a female junior minister and a senior female MP. The Times’ political editor Steven Swinford tweeted that the “two female MPs described different occasions” on which they had spotted a male colleague looking at porn on his phone.
“When they compared notes and spoke to chief whip after they realised it was same individual,” Swinford added.
The Sun said it was “understood that the culprit has been identified”, but that party bosses have “refused to name and shame” him.
The row triggered “fevered speculation” in Westminster on Wednesday, with “several names circulated” and “conflicting information about whether this had been a frontbencher”, said The Guardian.
The Times’ Swinford said that he had been “told categorically” that the culprit was not a minister.
Nicky Morgan, the Conservatives’ former minister for women and equalities, described the allegations as a “jaw-dropper”. She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that one of the witnesses “felt that she was deliberately made to feel uncomfortable”.
Asked if she knew who the culprit was, Morgan said his identity was not “widely known”. She added: “I have heard a name suggested but I have absolutely no idea if it is that person or not and it is not fair to speculate.”
The next move
If the allegations were found to be true, the MP in question could be investigated for a possible breach of the MPs’ Code of Conduct, which states that “members shall at all times conduct themselves in a manner which will tend to maintain and strengthen the public’s trust and confidence in the integrity of Parliament and never undertake any action which would bring the House of Commons, or its members generally, into disrepute”.
During PMQs yesterday, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas asked Boris Johnson whether he considered sexual harassment to be “grounds for dismissal”.
The prime minister replied that “of course” it was, adding that “sexual harassment is intolerable”.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
'Epic meltdown'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
The World of Tim Burton: a 'creepy, witty and visually ravishing' exhibition
The Week Recommends Sprawling show at the Design Museum features over 600 exhibits from across the directors' five-decade career from early sketches to costumes and props
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: October 31, 2024
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
IPPs: the prisoners serving never-ending jail sentences
The Explainer Sentences of 'imprisonment for public protection' (IPPs) have been widely condemned, but many are still in force
By The Week UK Published
-
What is Lammy hoping to achieve in China?
Today's Big Question Foreign secretary heads to Beijing as Labour seeks cooperation on global challenges and courts opportunities for trade and investment
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Who will replace Rishi Sunak as the next Tory leader?
In Depth Shortlist will be whittled down to two later today
By The Week UK Last updated
-
Is Britain about to 'boil over'?
Today's Big Question A message shared across far-right groups listed more than 30 potential targets for violence in the UK today
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
UK's Starmer slams 'far-right thuggery' at riots
Speed Read The anti-immigrant violence was spurred by false rumors that the suspect in the Southport knife attack was an immigrant
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Can a racially and culturally divided country elect a multi-precedent-setting candidate?
Today's big question Vice President Kamala Harris is facing a wave of personal attacks tinged with racism and sexism
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The Tamils stranded on 'secretive' British island in Indian Ocean
Under the Radar Migrants 'unlawfully detained' since 2021 shipwreck on UK-controlled Diego Garcia, site of important US military base
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published