THE Tory MP who single-handedly blocked the criminalisation of upskirting in England and Wales has said the “vulgar, humiliating and unacceptable” act should be outlawed.

Sir Christopher Chope said he was acting on a long-held principle that has seen him routinely oppose backbench private member’s bills when he opposed the legislation on Friday. The 71-year-old MP for Christchurch in Dorset told his local newspaper, the Dorset Echo, that he felt “scapegoated” and hit back at Conservative colleagues who criticised him.

He said: “The suggestion that I am some kind of pervert is a complete travesty of the truth. It’s defamatory of my character and it’s very depressing some of my colleagues have been perpetuating that in the past 48 hours. I feel a bit sore about being scapegoated over this.”

He urged the government to find the “fastest, fairest and surest passage” for a bill banning people from taking pictures up someone’s clothing without consent, and accused ministers of “hijacking” backbenchers’ time with the debate.

Without a specific law, victims in England and Wales must seek prosecution of upskirting through other legal avenues, such as outraging public decency or harassment. The blocked bill would have seen upskirting offenders face a maximum of two years in prison. A specific law covering the practice already exists in Scotland.

Prime Minister Theresa May said yesterday that the government would provide time for anti-upskirting legislation to be passed.