TV interview where he said: This must be dealt with seriously
EARLIER this week Neil Parish gave a television interview saying that porn claims about a Conservative MP should be ‘dealt with seriously’ – only to then be unmasked as being at the centre of the allegations.
Mr Parish, who has had the whip removed after being outed as the person, said in the interview that there were always going to be people who ‘step over the line’ – but denied Westminster had a cultural problem.
The chairman of the environment committee appeared on GB News and was asked about the allegations and whether the then-anonymous MP should have the whip removed. Astonishingly, he replied: ‘I think the whips’ office will do a thorough investigation and we will wait and see that result and I think from that then the decision will have to be made what action will be taken.’
He then denied there was a large cultural problem in Westminster, despite senior Conservative colleagues having decried it as being ‘shameful’. He added: ‘We’ve got some 6 0 Members of Parliament in what is a very intense area.
‘We are going to get people that step over the line.
‘I don’t thixnk there’s necessarily a huge culture here but I think it does have to be dealt with and dealt with seriously, and that’s what the whips will do.’