A Conservative party MP in the UK has been suspended after colleagues claimed he had watched pornography on his phone in the House of Commons.
The ruling party’s chief whips — responsible for enforcing discipline — confirmed on Friday that Neil Parish had been suspended from the party amid an investigation.
The 65-year-old will remain a lawmaker for Tiverton and Honiton but will sit as an independent MP.
“Following the recent accusations about an MP’s use of his mobile phone, I have reported myself to the parliamentary committee,” Parish said on his website.
Parish has represented the district in southwest England since 2010 and also heads the Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.
The allegations against him are the latest in a series of harassment and sexual misconduct claims in British politics.
Earlier this week, female lawmakers expressed outrage after an unnamed Conservative legislator accused Labour Party Deputy Leader Angela Rayner in a newspaper interview of trying to “distract” Prime Minister Boris Johnson during debates by crossing and uncrossing her legs.
Johnson himself said on Thursday that watching pornography would be unacceptable in any workplace and condemned the story published about Rayner.
In addition to Parish, three other Conservative MPs are currently suspended by the party over sexual misconduct claims.