CONSERVATIVE MP for Christchurch Christopher Chope (OBE) has blocked a bid to make upskirting a specific criminal offence.
The Voyeurism (Offences) Bill was expected to pass through the Commons after the Ministry of Justice indicated its support, but Chope made use of Westminster's archaic rules to block it at second reading.
READ MORE: Tory MP blocks bid to make upskirting a criminal offence
By shouting "object" he halted progress of the private member's bill, and was met with shouts of "shame" from MPs – including fellow Tories.
Chope was chosen for a knighthood last year, receiving an OBE for "political and public service".
We thought we'd list some of his background and highlights in a bid to find out what it is Theresa May sees in him.
Here's a quick summary of Chope:
- Campaigned for the minimum wage to be abolished
- Voted against same-sex marriage
- Blocked the Bill pardoning Alan Turing for his conviction for "homosexual acts"
- Raised a last-minute objection to the Hillsborough debate, saying a debate about MPs' pensions was more important
- In 2010, helped host a meeting of climate-science sceptics at Westminster
- Voted against the Equal Pay (Transparency) Bill, which would have required companies with more than 250 employees to declare their gender pay gap
- Was reportedly furious at a Twitter executive for not doing enough to take down a Christopher Chope parody account
- Faced criticism for calling Commons staff "servants" – but said he meant "servants of the house"
- Blocked a bill giving police dogs and horses extra legal protection from being stabbed
- Blocked a bill banning the use of wild animals in circus performances, because he wanted another to have been called first
- Filibustered a bill scrapping hospital parking charges for carers
- Opposed a bill halting revenge evictions (note: he's a private landlord)
- Blocked a bill protecting less well-off countries from vulture fund
- The 2009 expenses scandal revealed that he'd claimed £136,992, with £881 of that spent on repairing a sofa.
It's hard to know which of those qualities so stood out that May felt a knighthood was appropriate.
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