Politico: British MPs use official trips for drinking and debauchery
A British Member of Parliament revealed in an interview with Politico that a former Conservative MP, now a member of the House of Lords, asked his hosts how to find the nearest brothel during a visit by an all-party parliamentary delegation to Southeast Asia.
Also, another Tory MP and former minister stayed behind after the parliamentary delegation returned home, in order to pursue his „interest in (local) women,“ according to two of his colleagues.
They add that the MP showed an „interest in pretty young girls“ and that „he routinely stayed after these visits and connected with young women at the location in question.“.
A high-ranking Labour MP showed affection for „Russian girls“ during a trip abroad, according to a foreign diplomat, who also said that local officials felt powerless to intervene because they were concerned about preserving their influence in Westminster.
A former Conservative MP hired a sex worker during a visit to China, which other MPs jokingly described as „sending a bouquet of flowers to the room,“ Politico reports, citing witnesses.
Particular concern was expressed regarding the activities of APPGs – groups consisting of MPs from all parties in the British Parliament, which focus on a single country or a group of countries.
Politico explains that these all-party groups are subject to less strict rules than the better-known House of Commons select committees, but can still use parliamentary rooms for their meetings.
The focus on foreign countries means that groups tend to travel abroad regularly, funded by foreign governments or private companies, often during parliamentary sessions.
Politico, he points out, spoke with more than ten government officials and MPs in the UK and abroad, who confirmed the allegations of drinking, sex, and debauchery by certain MPs and peers on such trips.
MPs do not receive a salary for membership in those groups, travel must be reported, but there is no formal reporting process.
A female member of several APPGs said that the groups had traditionally been dominated by „Labour and Tories, usually men, who coordinated with each other to control cross-party groups that went on nice trips.“.
Although, she noted, „gender balance has improved in the last decade,“ many cross-party groups still carry the legacy of being associated with male MPs.
A report by the House of Commons Standards Committee earlier this year warned that the potential for undue influence provided by all-party groups could „represent the next big parliamentary scandal,“ but did not comment in detail on foreign travel.
The Standards Committee has recommended reducing the number of all-party groups and introducing „guardians“ to oversee them.
The government supported these proposals before Boris Johnson left office, but there has been little progress since then.
SOURCE: N1 AND PHOTO: PRINTSCREEN
