Being outraged rarely proves a vote winner

It’s been one of those weeks when the majority of well-behaved MPs must wish so many of their colleagues would stop misbehaving.

Much of the focus, for obvious reasons, has been on the Tory MP caught watching pornography in the Commons. It’s one of those defining acts that will dog a politician all of his life and lead his obituary, whatever else he may achieve.

Fronting up to his actions in a TV interview, Neil Parish said: “The situation was that, funnily enough, it was tractors I was looking at”. We can only speculate over any niche sites he was led to by this innocent search for farming machinery but let’s leave it there.

Mr Parish admitted that the second time had been deliberate and happened while he was sitting waiting to vote.

It’s understandable that anyone might want a distraction from the day to day business of the Commons which must be like being forced to watch a pantomime at a zoo

- but maybe he should have tried Wordle instead.

It’s not an easy time to be a politician.

Elsewhere, a handful of MPs from across the political spectrum are facing claims of bullying and sexual misconduct, leading some to happily declare that Westminster is a cesspit of depravity, unfit to serve the fine, upstanding people of

Britain, ignoring the fact it’s only a few bad apples.

Equally unwisely, some MPs have sought to make political capital from their opponents’ bad behaviour - conveniently ignoring anything dodgy on their own side - as if voters are somehow impressed by politicians preaching from the moral high ground. It’s probably not the time, although the SNP didn’t get the memo again.

Lectures and finger-pointing rarely play well in politics, beyond the student union debate. Disgusting behaviour is clearly a turn-off to the electorate but being permanently disgusted doesn’t win many votes either.

‘Anyone might want a distraction from the daytoday business of the House of Commons but maybe he should have tried Wordle instead’