Devon MP to resign amid claims he watched porn in House of Commons
Neil Parish has admitted to watching adult material in Parliament twice
Last updated 30th Apr 2022
The Devon MP accused of watching porn in the House of Commons has bowed to pressure to say he will resign.
Neil Parish, who represents Tiverton and Honiton, had the Conservative whip suspended on Friday.
The 65-year-old farmer, who also chairs the Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, had referred himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, saying he would continue his "duties" while an investigation was carried out.
However in an interview with BBC South West on Saturday, Mr Parish admitted he had twice watched adult material in Parliament and would stand down.
He said he recognised the "furore" and "damage" he was causing his family and constituency, before deciding "it just wasn’t worth carrying on".
"The situation was, funnily enough it was tractors I was looking at, so I did get into another website with sort of a very similar name and I watched it for a bit, which I shouldn't have done", he said.
"Moment of madness"
Mr Parish continued: "My crime, my most biggest crime, is that on another occasion I went in a second time, and that was deliberate.
"That was sitting waiting to vote on the side of the chamber".
He said it was a "moment of madness" which he accepted was "totally wrong", as he insisted he was "not making sure people could see it" and was trying to be discreet.
"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".
When pressed on why he chose to view the material in the Commons, he said: "I don’t know, I think I must've taken complete leave of my senses and my sensibilities and my sense of decency, everything".
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".