Lawmaker who watched porn resigns – Chicago Tribune

LONDON — A British MP from the ruling Conservative Party has resigned his seat after admitting to looking at pornography on his phone on the floor of the House of Commons.

Neil Parish, an MP since 2010, announced his decision on Saturday under pressure from his own coreligionists, eager to defuse accusations of sordid deeds ahead of local elections on May 5. The election is seen as critical for Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is facing a strong backlash from voters due to parties held at government offices that violated quarantine rules during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parish, 65, said he had a “crazy” moment. As chairman of the Committee on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, he said that he was trying to get onto a tractor website, but inadvertently went to a porn site with a similar name and looked at it for “a little while”.

“My biggest crime is that on another occasion I entered a second time,” he told the BBC. “And it was deliberate.”

Reports of a lawmaker watching pornography between the historic green benches of the House of Commons sparked an outpouring of complaints from women in Parliament about the misogyny and sexual harassment they face when doing their jobs.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Parish’s resignation should prompt people across the UK to say “enough is enough”.

“I don’t think there could be any other outcome to what has come to light about this MP in recent days,” he said at a campaign event in Fife, Scotland. “Watching porn on a cell phone in the House of Commons, where you represent the voters, is unacceptable.”

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