London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

Tories investigate claims MP watched pornography in Commons chamber (without sharing the pleasure with colleagues!)

Tories investigate claims MP watched pornography in Commons chamber (without sharing the pleasure with colleagues!)

The Conservative Party is calling for an independent investigation into claims a Tory MP watched porn on his phone while sitting next to a female minister in Parliament.

The incident was raised by a minister at a meeting of Tory MPs on Tuesday, the BBC understands.

Another MP corroborated her account.

The party's chief whip has now asked for the matter to be referred to Parliament's Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS).

"Upon the conclusion of any ICGS investigation the Chief Whip will take appropriate action," said a spokesperson for Chief Whip Chris Heaton-Harris, who is in charge of Tory MPs' discipline.

The ICGS is a parliamentary regulator, which was set up in the wake of the Westminster bullying and harassment scandal in 2017.

If a complaint is made to the ICGS, it will be assessed by an external independent investigator, who will decide whether a full investigation should be launched.

In Parliament, Green Party MP Caroline Lucas said, according to a report in the Sunday Times, 56 MPs were facing allegations of sexual misconduct, including three cabinet ministers.

She asked Prime Minister Boris Johnson if sexual misconduct was grounds for dismissal under the ministerial code.

Mr Johnson replied that "sexual harassment is intolerable" and was "grounds for dismissal".

'Shell shocked'


At Tuesday night's meeting, which was first reported by The Sun and The Mirror, women Tory MPs shared accounts of alleged sexism and harassment. Conservative plans for attracting more female candidates were also discussed.

Conservative MP Pauline Latham, who was at the private meeting, said Mr Heaton-Harris's announcement that he was investigating allegations of an MP watching porn were met with disbelief.

"Many people came out totally shell shocked. They couldn't believe something like that could happen in what's really a professional place," she told BBC News.

She said she did not believe "anybody knows who it is", other than the perpetrator, the person who reported it and the chief whip.

But if the allegations were found to be true, she said, the perpetrator should "lose their job" and be thrown out of the Conservative Party.

"We are supposed to set an example in this place and that is absolutely appalling. I am totally shocked," she added.

Labour said it would be a "sackable offence" for MPs to watch pornography in the Commons chamber.

Shadow Commons Leader Thangam Debbonaire, told BBC News she was "shocked but not surprised" by the story, "because there is a culture of sexism in Parliament".

But she said MPs should "aspire to higher values than that" and, in addition to an investigation by the Conservative Party, "there may well be a case for the Standards Committee or the Standards Commissioner to look into this".

SNP MP Kirsty Blackman told Politics Live the culprit should be kicked out of Parliament, adding: "They have been elected to represent their constituents not to sit in that chamber and watch porn."


Caroline Lucas asks Boris Johnson if sexual harassment is “grounds for dismissal”


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
×