 "Sex, Booze and British MPs abroad: The latest controversy dogging Rishi Sunak")
Rishi Sunak just can’t catch a break. Since taking over from Liz Truss, the UK prime minister has had a slate of bad news – the latest being reports of British MPs behaving badly overseas. The reports, which have claimed that MPs and peers use trips abroad to engage sex workers and drink heavily, have left Sunak expressing concern. Let’s take a closer look at the row: Politico reported that some MPs and peers use All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) – cross-party groups which engage with specific policy areas – as a cover to solicit sex workers and drink excessively. There are more than 130 “country APPGs” in UK’s parliament. Members of these informal groups that are allowed to use parliament to meet, produce reports and arrange events often take trips abroad on fact-finding missions funded by foreign governments or private companies.
Though some take the work seriously, others simply focus on having fun, as per Politico.
The outlet quoted a former Conservative MP, during a visit to southeast Asia, asking for directions to the nearest brothel. Another minister stayed back to pursue his “interest in local women” after the trip officially ended. The Express quoted a colleague as saying: “He routinely stayed on after these visits and linked up with young women in the place in question. He showed an interest in pretty young girls.” A foreign diplomat, speaking to Politico anonymously, said a senior Labour figure showed a fondness for Russian girls. The diplomat added that local officials, with an eye on their influence in Westminster, felt they could not intervene. Another report in The Times stated that British MPs were met by a number of sex workers at their hotel while on a visit abroad – though there is no evidence they knew this would happen in advance or if they engaged their services. Another MP had to be told off for making repeated advances to young female interns while on a visit to an ally, the newspaper reported. Sunak expresses concern, but passes buck While Sunak has expressed concern, he has stopped short of taking concrete action. The Guardian quoted a 10 Downing Street spokesperson as saying, “The prime minister believes MPs should be working hard for the public and the vast majority are focused on trying to solve our shared challenges, whether that be supporting the most vulnerable or working to making our schools better and streets safer.
However, the spokesperson added that any action ought to be taken by the House of Commons.
“The regulation of APPGs is a matter for the House[s of Parliament] and the standards committee is conducting an ongoing inquiry into APPGs. The process around them is a matter for the House rather than government.” As per Express UK, the House of Commons standards committee earlier this year warned that these APPGs could “represent the next great parliamentary scandal”. A female MP told the newspaper these groups comprise “Labour backbenchers and Tory backbenchers coordinating with each other — the male ones, usually” and are not subject to the same stringent rules as the official select committees. With inputs from agencies Read all the Latest News , Trending News , Cricket News , Bollywood News , India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram .