The Tory MP who has been accused by two female colleagues of watching porn in the House of Commons was today named as Neil Parish.
Days of speculation over the identity of the accused MP ended after the 65-year-old farmer was suspended from the Tory whip this afternoon.
Tonight Mr Parish said he would not be quitting as an MP - but would co-operate fully with the investigation, and “I will not remain if I’m found guilty.” Speaking to reporters at his home, he confessed “I did” open something by mistake.
It comes days after Mr Parish was asked about the then-unnamed MP in a TV interview - and insisted the whips would do "a thorough investigation".
The MP of 12 years, who chairs the Environment Committee, denied at the time that Parliament had a sexism culture. He said it was a “very intense area” and “you are going to get people who step over the line”.
A spokesperson for the Chief Whip told the Mirror: “Having spoken to the Chief Whip this afternoon, Neil Parish MP is reporting himself to the Standards Committee of the House of Commons.
“Mr Parish has been suspended from the Conservative Whip pending the outcome of that investigation.”
It's thought Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone - who reports to the Standards Committee which makes final rulings - could investigate if he caused "significant damage to the reputation and integrity" of the Commons.
Separately, the Tory MP for Tiverton and Honiton since 2010 is also being investigated by Parliament’s independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme.
It’s understood both investigations are related to the accusations that Mr Parish watched porn in the Commons.
The Mirror has e-mailed Mr Parish for comment.
It came after mounting pressure on Boris Johnson to act over the MP, after the Mirror and other outlets revealed two female Tories had accused an anonymous male colleague of watching porn on his phone in the Commons.
Senior Tories had hit back after Chief Whip Chris Heaton-Harris had claimed Parliament’s IGCS - not party chiefs - should investigate the man.
But this meant he would remain anonymous and keep his job for months, with reports the scheme is already investigating 56 MPs.
It was also unclear if an IGCS investigation had actually been triggered - as only witnesses can make a complaint. As of today, it's now understood that process has begun.
Caroline Nokes, chair of the women and equalities committee, had piled pressure on the Chief Whip saying the MP should have “immediately” lost the whip. Labour’s Keir Starmer added Tory chiefs should “take action now”.
And senior Tories had already called for the MP to quit Parliament completely - or be booted out - if the porn allegations are proven.
Attorney General Suella Braverman said if the MP did watch adult material they should "no longer holding their privileged position as an MP.”
The minister told BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour "I'm ashamed this person is carrying a Conservative rosette" - and if proven, the MP could be expelled or subjected to a recall process.
Mother of the House Harriet Harman said Neil Parish "should resign immediately" if he had watched porn in the Commons, which would “cast a stain on the whole of the House of Commons".
Ms Nokes tonight told Times Radio the "investigation needs to be swift" and it shouldn't need "to take more than a couple of days”.
Shadow Leader of the Commons Thangam Debbonaire said today: “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.”
In an astonishing coincidence, Mr Parish was asked about the porn revelations in a TV interview earlier this week.
Asked if “whoever it is, they would surely have to have the whip removed”, he told GB News: “I think the Whips’ Office will do a thorough investigation and we will wait and see that result.
“I think from that, then the decision will have to be made what action will be taken.”
Asked if there was a problem in Parliament’s culture, Mr Parish replied it was a “very intense area” and “you are going to get people who step over the line”.
He added: “I don’t think there’s necessarily a huge culture thing but I do think it has to be dealt with and dealt with seriously, and In think that’s what the whips will do in our Whips’ Office.”
Lib Dem Deputy Leader Daisy Cooper said: "If Boris Johnson had any shred of decency left, he would tell Neil Parish to resign immediately.
“In any other workplace this would count as gross misconduct and the person responsible would lose their job. Parliament should be no different.
“We don't need to insult the women MPs who witnessed this with a lengthy investigation. All his bosses need to do is ask for his devices and look at his viewing history, this isn’t rocket science.”
Mr Parish said on his website: "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.
"I will be cooperating fully with any investigation, and whilst it is ongoing I will continue to perform my duties as MP for Tiverton and Honiton.
"I will not be making further comments at this stage."
Mr Parish is married to Sue who is employed as his junior secretary. Together they have two children and a granddaughter. He left school at 16 and worked on his family's farm before becoming an MEP.
Once in Parliament he was a Vice-Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on cider and mentioned broadband 58 times in the chamber - often to demand a faster connection for his rural seat.
Mr Parish has a thumping 24,239 majority in his Devon seat, which has only ever been held by the Tories since it was founded in 1997.
MPs can be expelled by an order of the House of Commons but this has only happened three times in the last century - for fraud, lying and forgery.
An MP will, however, be subject to a recall petition - where voters decide whether to boot them from office - if they are suspended for at least 10 sitting days by a standards body.
It comes after a leading female Tory today revealed she once was “pinned up against a wall” by a different, unnamed male MP.
Anne-Marie Trevelyan said she had suffered “wandering hands” around half a dozen times as she told male MPs: “Keep your hands in your pockets”.
“A couple were repeat offenders, they’ve got the message now,” she added.
The Trade Secretary said there are men in Parliament who think they are “God’s gift to women” and she has been at the “sharp end” of misogyny “many times over”.
The 53-year-old former accountant, the MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed since 2015, said the shocking incident happened “a number of years ago”.
