The wife of an MP under investigation for allegedly watching pornography in the Commons said “it’s just so stupid” as she admitted it is “very embarrassing”.
Conservative MP Neil Parish referred himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards on Friday, days after two female Tory MPs said they witnessed him watching pornography on his mobile phone in the Commons chamber and at a committee.
The Tiverton and Honiton MP apologised from his Somerset home today and revealed he only told his wife this afternoon but refused to comment further, saying he would wait until the investigation concludes.
His wife of 40 years, Sue Parish, said the allegations were “very embarrassing” and her “breath was taken away”.
Asked if she was aware of her husband viewing porn before, she told The Times: “No. He’s quite a normal guy, really. He’s a lovely person. It’s just so stupid.
“People shouldn’t be looking at pornography. He would never just sit there with people looking. He would never just do that knowing [people were looking].
“These ladies were quite right to be as [upset] as they were. I’ve just no idea what happens in these circumstances. I don’t know whether it’s ever happened before.”
She added that pornography is “degrading, demeaning” to women but said it would be “stupid” to let it come between them, adding: “I’m fairly tough, you’ve got to carry on, haven’t you?”
Mrs Parish said she did not know what was going to happen to her husband’s career but told The Times: “I don’t think it’s going to carry on, is it?
“It’s so stupid. He’s such a good MP. He’s such a good person.”
Chief whip looked ‘horrified’
Mr Parish’s name was revealed by the Tory’s chief whip after the MP reported himself to the Standards Commissioner, Kathryn Stone, on Friday.
A spokesman for the chief whip said: “Mr Parish has been suspended from the Conservative Whip pending the outcome of that investigation.
In a statement, Mr Parish said: “Following recent allegations regarding an MP’s use of their mobile phone in Parliament, I have referred myself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards in the House of Commons.”
He said he will be “cooperating fully with any investigation” and will continue to perform his MP duties.
Two female Conservative MPs made the allegation against Mr Parish during a meeting of women Tory backbench MPs on Tuesday evening, but the whips office had not publicly named him.
One MP at the meeting said Tory chief whip Chris Heaton-Harris looked “horrified” as they informed him, and asked for the man’s identity.
Around 50 to 60 female Tory MPs are said to have been present at the meeting.
Mr Parish is now understood to be the focus of two investigations – one by the parliamentary commissioner Kathryn Stone after he referred himself to her today, and another by the Independent Complaints and Grievances Scheme (ICGS), which one of the female MP witnesses referred him to.
Labour accuse Tories of ‘cover up’
Thangam Debbonaire, Labour’s shadow leader of the House of Commons, said: “The Conservatives knew for days about the disgusting behaviour of one of their MPs and tried to cover it up.
“From the Owen Paterson scandal to their failure to act against their paedophile MP Imran Ahmad Khan, this is a government rotting from the head down. Britain deserves better.”
On Thursday, Boris Johnson addressed the allegation for the first time, saying: “It’s obviously unacceptable for anybody to be doing that kind of thing in the workplace.
“It would be the same for any job up and down the country.
“Clearly that kind of behaviour is totally unacceptable.”
Other cabinet ministers also spoke out against the allegations, with government efficiency minister Jacob Rees-Mogg saying it was “extraordinary and appalling”.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the culture needed to change in Westminster following “several instances of inappropriate and sexist behaviour”.
Attorney general Suella Braverman suggested that if the allegations were proven the culprit could be suspended or even expelled from parliament.
Update:
The MP accused of watching porn in the Commons will resign after being told by allies his position had become untenable.
Neil Parish, who had the Conservative whip suspended on Friday, admitted he had opened a file by mistake, but said he would continue his parliamentary duties pending the outcome of an investigation.
However, in the face of growing pressure the MP for Tiverton and Honiton, his local Conservative association said he had agreed to step down.
A spokesperson for Tiverton and Honiton Conservatives said: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank Neil Parish for his service to our communities over the past 12 years.
“We support his decision to step down as our Member of Parliament.”
Friends of the 65-year-old are said to be unhappy at the way he kept quiet and allowed speculation to form about party colleagues.
The former farmer and MEP referred himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, days after two female Tory MPs said they witnessed him watching pornography on his mobile phone on two separate occasions – once in the Commons chamber and another at a committee.
The departure of Mr Parish, who also chaired the Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, will trigger a by-election in what has been a safe Conservative seat.
Mr Parish, who had represented the Devon constituency since 2010, was returned in 2019 with a majority of of 24,239, securing 60% of the vote.
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