A Conservative MP who has resigned after he was seen watching pornography in the House of Commons has said he was in fact attempting to watch something about tractors.
Neil Parish – the MP for Tiverton and Honiton in Devon – claims he found himself on the porn website accidentally in the first case, but then went back on a second occasion while in Parliament, which he described as his ‘biggest crime’ and a ‘moment of madness’.
Speaking to BBC South West, Parish said: "The situation was that funnily enough, it was tractors I was looking at.
Advert
"I did get into another website that had a very similar name and I watched it for a bit, which I shouldn't have done.
"But my crime - biggest crime - is that on another occasion I went in a second time. That was sitting waiting to vote on the side of the chamber.”
The 65-year-old Tory MP admitted that what he did ‘was absolutely totally wrong’ and added: "I will have to live with this for the rest of my life. I made a huge terrible mistake and I'm here to tell the world.
"I was wrong what I was doing, but this idea that I was there watching it, intimidating women, I mean I have 12 years in Parliament and probably got one of the best reputations ever – or did have. I was wrong, I was stupid, I lost sense of mind."
Advert
His friend Colin Slade attempted to explain away the first accidental viewing in Parliament, claiming he’d heard he was looking for ‘a brand of tractor named Dominator’ and added: “You can easily see where that would go.”
For any agricultural novices out there, a Dominator is in fact a type of combine harvester, throwing further doubt onto the MPs assertions.
Despite that confusion, Mr Slade – a deputy chairman of the Tiverton and Honiton Conservative Association – added: “I believe it to be true.”
Either way, Mr Parish has now decided to vacate his seat, despite initially deciding to remain an MP during the investigation into his conduct.
That means that there will now be a by-election in what is traditionally a strong safe Conservative seat.
Advert
Many from across the house have criticised Parish’s actions, with Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner tweeting: "He was looking for tractors but ended up with porn actors? Neil Parish must think you were all born yesterday."
The government’s safeguarding minister Rachael Maclean has denied that the problem is limited to the Tories, claiming: "I think there is clearly a problem in the House of Commons.
"And I think it extends to all parties actually."
Tom Wood