The phrase 'CornHub' has exploded online, following the claim by disgraced Conservative MP Neil Parish that he was originally looking at tractors online, before watching pornography in the Commons chamber.
Mr Parish said he will resign as an MP after admitting to twice watching pornography in Parliament. He said the second time he watched porn in the Commons was deliberate.
The 65-year-old select committee chair, who is a farmer by trade, said the second time was while sitting waiting to vote on the side of the Commons chamber in a “moment of madness”.
Conservative MP for Tiverton and Honiton Neil Parish and his 4-year-old Labrador Wilberforce, the winner of the Westminster Dog of the Year competition pictured at Victoria Tower Gardens in London.
Carl Court
Mr Parish said the second time was while he was sitting waiting to vote on the side of the Commons chamber, in a “moment of madness”.
Conservative MP for Tiverton and Honiton Neil Parish and his 4-year-old Labrador Wilberforce, the winner of the Westminster Dog of the Year competition pictured at Victoria Tower Gardens in London.Carl Court
He had vowed to continue as the MP for Tiverton and Honiton after it was revealed he was the politician seen watching porn by two Conservative colleagues, but bowed to pressure to resign on Saturday.
He said in an interview with BBC South West that he recognised the “furore” and “damage” he was causing his family and his constituency in Devon before deciding “it just wasn’t worth carrying on”.
“The situation was, funnily enough it was tractors I was looking at, so I did get into another website with sort of a very similar name and I watched it for a bit, which I shouldn’t have done,” Mr Parish said.
“My crime, my most biggest crime, is that on another occasion I went in a second time, and that was deliberate.
“That was sitting waiting to vote on the side of the chamber.”
Mr Parish said it was a “moment of madness”, which he accepted was “totally wrong”, as he insisted he was “not making sure people could see it” and was trying to be discreet.
“I was wrong what I was doing, but this idea that I was there watching it, intimidating women, I mean I have 12 years in Parliament and probably got one of the best reputations ever – or did have.”
When pressed on why he chose to view the material in the Commons, he said: “I don’t know, I think I must’ve taken complete leave of my senses and my sensibilities and my sense of decency, everything.”
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner expressed bafflement at the MP’s excuse, adding: “Neil Parish must think you were all born yesterday. Boris Johnson’s Conservatives are a national embarrassment.”
