Campaign to stop the ‘upskirting’ voyeurs is sabotaged... by one MP
A FORMER Tory minister last night faced a huge backlash after he blocked government-backed plans to make ‘upskirting’ a criminal offence.
Sir Christopher Chope yesterday single-handedly derailed legislation to make it illegal to take a picture under someone’s clothing without their consent.
Upskirting is already illegal north of the Border and a Bill that would have also made it a specific offence in England and Wales – punishable by up to two years in jail and a place on the sex offenders’ register – was set to get the nod through the Commons after the Ministry of Justice indicated its support.
But it only requires one MP to shout ‘object’ when the title of a Private Member’s Bill is read out to halt its progress.
Home Office minister Victoria Atkins, who is also minister for women, joined cries of ‘shame’ after Sir Christopher
‘Living in a different century’
blocked the Bill that had been proposed by Liberal Democrat Wera Hobhouse. Moments later, the 71-year-old also opposed Government-backed plans to give police dogs and horses extra legal protections from attack.
Last night fellow Tories accused Sir Christopher, who is MP for Christchurch, of being a ‘dinosaur’ living in a different century. Culture Secretary Matt Hancock said: ‘The Government is determined to make it illegal to photograph people under their clothes without consent. Individual MPs can delay but not prevent this from becoming law. We will make it happen.’
Conor Burns, Tory MP for Bournemouth West, tweeted: ‘Embarrassing behaviour by Chris Chope this afternoon, not for the first time. I share a constituency boundary with him, but clearly not a century.’
Fellow Tory MP Paul Masterton wrote: ‘Do not underestimate just how furious many Tory MPs are about this.’
Tory MP Bob Neill, who is chairman of the Commons justice committee, last night wrote to the Prime Minister asking that Government time be made available to allow the Voyeurism (Offences) Bill to have its second reading.
A Government spokesman said: ‘This behaviour is a hideous invasion of privacy which leaves victims feeling degraded and distressed. It cannot be tolerated, so it is absolutely right the Government supports this Bill.
‘Whilst we are disappointed this Bill did not pass second reading today, we look forward to supporting these measures through the House at the earliest possible opportunity.’
Upskirting is defined as taking an image or video up somebody’s clothing in order to see their genitals or underwear. At the moment, perpetrators in England and Wales largely escape justice as there is no specific law banning upskirting, with victims left to pursue voyeurism or indecency claims.
Campaigners had been hopeful the Bill would sail through the Commons with no objections, having garnered mass cross-party support.
It came after a petition launched by Gina Martin, 26, who has spent the last year calling for the ban after two men took a picture up her skirt while at the British Summer Time festival in London’s Hyde Park in 2017.
Miss Martin, a freelance writer living in London, only realised what had happened when she spotted one of the men sharing the image on his phone in front of her – but despite snatching the device and presenting it as evidence to nearby police, the case was closed four days later. She claimed police told her there was nothing they could do.
Yesterday Miss Martin said: ‘It’s shameful, it’s annoying. It’s not the end of the road but I’m very angry.’ She said she had spoken to Sir Christopher and he had agreed to discuss the Bill with her.
Sir Christopher – who studied law at St Andrews University in the 1960s – has a long history of sabotaging Private Member’s Bills. These include banning the use of wild animals in circuses and introducing free hospital car parking for carers.