Tory ‘porn’ MP Neil Parish has formally resigned his seat in the Commons, triggering another by-election for Boris Johnson’s scandal-ridden government.
Parish, who admitted watching porn on his mobile phone twice in the Commons chamber, announced his resignation last weekend and yesterday the move was formalised with the chancellor appointing him to the be Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead, one of the devices by which MPs resign.
It is the second resignation from the Tory benches in as many days. Former Tory MP Imran Ahmad Khan resigned his Wakefield seat on Tuesday following his conviction for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy.
Parish, who had been an MP since 2010, suggested he had opened the porn “in error”.
His allies said it happened while the MP was searching for a Claas Dominator combine harvester but Parish admitted his “mistake” was going back to have a second look.
It is up to the sitting party to move the writ for a by-election and while the Wakefield contest will be a big challenge for Boris Johnson the 24,236 majority in Parish’s Devon seat of Tiverton and Honiton would require an earthquake to change colour.
The Conservatives have held the Devon seat continuously since it was created in 1997.
While Labour have finished ahead of the Lib Dems in the constituency at every general election since 2015, Ed Davey’s party is set to declare itself the most likely to defeat the Tories based on stronger local election results in the area.
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