Boris Johnson has said watching pornography at work is ‘totally unacceptable’ following claims a Conservative MP did this in the House of Commons.
In his first comments on the allegation since it emerged on Wednesday, the prime minister said: ‘It’s obviously unacceptable for anybody to be doing that kind of thing in the workplace.
‘It would be the same for any job up and down the country.
‘Clearly that kind of behaviour is totally unacceptable.’
Speaking during a visit to Burnley, Mr Johnson added that the proper procedure now needs to be taken by the independent parliamentary complaints watchdog as ‘we need to get to understand the facts’.
The MP in question has not been named publicly but two female Tory MPs informed the party’s chief whip during a meeting on Tuesday they had seen their colleague watching porn on his phone in the Commons.
The charge levelled against the Conservative is set to be examined under Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS), which investigates allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct.
Attorney General Suella Braverman said if the subject of the complaint was found to have been watching adult material it should result in them ‘no longer holding their privileged position as a Member of Parliament’.
Ms Braverman said there was a ‘very small minority’ of men who ‘behave like animals’ in Westminster and are bringing it into ‘disrepute’.
She told BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour: ‘I keep running through my mind how and why someone would be so brazen… so reckless, so stupid, so appallingly badly behaved to be watching porn in the workplace, in broad daylight, in the presence of colleagues.’
Under the ICGS, an investigator would examine the case and Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone would then make a finding.
In a serious case like this, a sanction would normally be decided by the Independent Expert Panel (IEP), which would also hear any appeal.
The IEP could recommend sanctions including expulsion from the Commons or a suspension – which could potentially trigger a by-election under the recall process if it is for longer than 10 sitting days.
Only witnesses to the pornography-viewing could make a complaint about the MP under the ICGS.
But ministers have been speaking out against the alleged behaviour, with Jacob Rees-Mogg saying it was ‘extraordinary and appalling’.
Earlier, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: ‘There have been several instances of inappropriate and sexist behaviour recently in Parliament. It is shameful.
‘Parliamentarians are public servants and it is their duty to set an example of character and integrity. The culture of Westminster needs to change.’
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said ‘there’s no place for pornography in any workplace’ and highlighted the need for a cultural change at Westminster.
He told Sky News: ‘This is a problem, I think, about the overall culture of the House of Commons.
‘It is late sitting, long nights with bars, and that very often leads, and it has done for decades, to behavioural challenges.’
On Times Radio he said the mix of long hours, high pressure and alcohol could be ‘poisonous’, adding: ‘My advice to any MP is actually avoid the bars… finish a day’s work and go home.’
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said there was action the Tories could take now, rather than wait for the complaints process to conclude.
‘This is an unusual case because the Tory party knows who this individual is,’ he said.
‘I think that they should deal with it and deal with it sooner rather than later and take appropriate action.
‘So, nothing wrong with the independent process, but I think the Tory party, they know who this is, they should take action now.’
The claims about pornography followed reports that 56 MPs, including three Cabinet ministers, are facing allegations of sexual misconduct referred to the ICGS.
They also follow outrage over The Mail On Sunday publishing ‘sexist’ and disputed claims from unnamed Tory MPs that deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner tried to distract Mr Johnson with her legs during Prime Minister’s Questions.
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