Theresa May ends the week with a damaging rebellion – just not the one she expected. Sir Chritsopher Chope has set the cat among the pigeons after he shouted ‘object!’ to a private members’ bill – brought to the House of Commons by Liberal Democrat MP Wera Hobhouse – to make ‘upskirting‘ a sexual offence. Given that the government had given the bill its full support, Chope’s decision to block is particularly unhelpful.
It’s safe to say the Conservative MPs’ behaviour has not gone down well on Tory MP WhatsApp. Chope’s comrades are openly bitching about him – and asking if he is even on the thread:
Richard Benyon: Is anyone getting flak about Chris Chope objecting to Voyeurism bill? If you are on this Chris could you explain why the hell you want to do something that alienates so many people? An explanation would be really kind.
Paul Scully: He’s not.
George Freeman: Can all of us – men and women – tell Chris how APPALLING the headline ‘Tory MP blocks ban on upskirting’ looks.
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